Page 246 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2021. Opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama ▪︎ Operetta between the Two World Wars. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 5
P. 246
opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama
costumes.7 However, the educational role of theatre, seen as the most sig-
nificant criterion of the repertoire policy, permeated almost all texts about
(music) theatre both before and after World War I.
As the founder and the first director of the Serbian National Theatre in
Novi Sad, Jovan Đorđević (1826–1900) claimed that it was
the primary means of advancing education among the people; it
awakened a sleepy nationality (narodnost), clarified and dignified
the mother tongue and, best of all, the most glorious European na
tions became what they are today.8
Understandably, in order to educate Belgrade audiences who were not
familiar with operas and operettas, the performances were staged using
Serbian translations of the works.
The main idea of cultural policy in the interwar period was thus to es-
tablish (music) theatre in an environment without a long tradition of it.
Moreover, this policy was represented by the same music writers i.e. musi-
cologists – often composers, too – who were active before and after World
War I, as well as by younger professional music critics. As a matter of fact,
two opposite attitudes to operetta were juxtaposed in this context: condem-
nation by reviewers versus popularity with wider audience, and sometimes
awareness of the economic impact of this art form by theatre managers.
The key discourses about operetta were formulated at this time. Thus, the
interwar situation has to be considered along with that of the previous pe-
riod. The prewar period can be explained with a well-known public discus-
sion about operetta (1905) and Petar Konjović’s (a highly influential com-
poser and music writer in the musical life of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia)
thoughts on music focused on this art form.
Approximately 25 years after the first operetta performance at the Na-
tional Theatre in Belgrade, of Jenko’s Vračara (1882), the management of
the institution organised a public discussion about operetta. As happened
many times in the history of Serbian musical culture, the leading compos-
ers – Josif Marinković, Stevan St. Mokranjac, Božidar Joksimović, Kosta
Manojlović, Stanislav Binički, Petar Krstić – had a key role in the formula-
tion of discourses on operetta, causing its relative neglect in Serbian thea-
7 Ibid., 28.
8 “Pozorište je najglavnije sredstvo kojim prosveta i izobraženije najlakše u narod pron
iknuti može; ono budi dremajuću narodnost, ono pročišćuje i oblagorođuje maternji
jezik, s njim i najviše s njim, postali su najslavniji narodi evropski ono što su danas.”
Jovan Đorđević, “Narodno pozorište,” Srbski dnevnik, February 12, 1861.
244
costumes.7 However, the educational role of theatre, seen as the most sig-
nificant criterion of the repertoire policy, permeated almost all texts about
(music) theatre both before and after World War I.
As the founder and the first director of the Serbian National Theatre in
Novi Sad, Jovan Đorđević (1826–1900) claimed that it was
the primary means of advancing education among the people; it
awakened a sleepy nationality (narodnost), clarified and dignified
the mother tongue and, best of all, the most glorious European na
tions became what they are today.8
Understandably, in order to educate Belgrade audiences who were not
familiar with operas and operettas, the performances were staged using
Serbian translations of the works.
The main idea of cultural policy in the interwar period was thus to es-
tablish (music) theatre in an environment without a long tradition of it.
Moreover, this policy was represented by the same music writers i.e. musi-
cologists – often composers, too – who were active before and after World
War I, as well as by younger professional music critics. As a matter of fact,
two opposite attitudes to operetta were juxtaposed in this context: condem-
nation by reviewers versus popularity with wider audience, and sometimes
awareness of the economic impact of this art form by theatre managers.
The key discourses about operetta were formulated at this time. Thus, the
interwar situation has to be considered along with that of the previous pe-
riod. The prewar period can be explained with a well-known public discus-
sion about operetta (1905) and Petar Konjović’s (a highly influential com-
poser and music writer in the musical life of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia)
thoughts on music focused on this art form.
Approximately 25 years after the first operetta performance at the Na-
tional Theatre in Belgrade, of Jenko’s Vračara (1882), the management of
the institution organised a public discussion about operetta. As happened
many times in the history of Serbian musical culture, the leading compos-
ers – Josif Marinković, Stevan St. Mokranjac, Božidar Joksimović, Kosta
Manojlović, Stanislav Binički, Petar Krstić – had a key role in the formula-
tion of discourses on operetta, causing its relative neglect in Serbian thea-
7 Ibid., 28.
8 “Pozorište je najglavnije sredstvo kojim prosveta i izobraženije najlakše u narod pron
iknuti može; ono budi dremajuću narodnost, ono pročišćuje i oblagorođuje maternji
jezik, s njim i najviše s njim, postali su najslavniji narodi evropski ono što su danas.”
Jovan Đorđević, “Narodno pozorište,” Srbski dnevnik, February 12, 1861.
244
