Page 335 - Weiss, Jernej, ur. 2019. Vloga nacionalnih opernih gledališč v 20. in 21. stoletju - The Role of National Opera Houses in the 20th and 21st Centuries. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 3
P. 335
oi: https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-7055-50-4.333-349
Ciril Debevec – the first professional opera
director in Slovenia1
Darja Koter
Univerza v Ljubljani
University of Ljubljana
Since its establishment in 1892, until interruptions immediately before
World War I, the director’s presence consistently appeared in different roles
at the Slovenian Regional Theatre (Deželno gledališče) in Ljubljana, in dra-
ma as well as in opera and operetta performances, both as an actor and/or a
singer. Such a practice originated from the system of education of the social
and professional dramatic schools, which was based on polyvalent roles,
which meant that theatre actors in practice acted as actors, singers and/
or directors.2 It was established in most provincial theatres of the Austri-
an monarchy as well as elsewhere. The independent role of the director was
first introduced by the Moscow Drama School, founded by the famous Rus-
sian actor Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavsky at the beginning of the 20th
century, where he developed theatrical naturalism and the director’s func-
tion became both discipline and art. With his acting and directing meth-
ods, Stanislavsky has significantly marked the modern theatre and opera.
He also took part in the Opera Studio of the Bolshoi Theatre, established
in 1918. The Stanislavsky system, which he himself named “spiritual real-
1 The authors acknowledge financial support from the state budget by the Slovenian
Research Agency (project No. P6-0376).
2 Darja Koter, »Glasbeno-gledališka režija na Slovenskem: od diletantizma Dra-
matičnega društva do poskusov profesionalizacije v Deželnem gledališču« / “Mu-
sic Theatre Directing in Slovenia: From Dilettantism of the Dramatic Society to (the
Attempts of) Professionalism in the Regional Theatre,” Muzikološki zbornik / Musico-
logical Annual 46/1 (2010): 57–72.
333
Ciril Debevec – the first professional opera
director in Slovenia1
Darja Koter
Univerza v Ljubljani
University of Ljubljana
Since its establishment in 1892, until interruptions immediately before
World War I, the director’s presence consistently appeared in different roles
at the Slovenian Regional Theatre (Deželno gledališče) in Ljubljana, in dra-
ma as well as in opera and operetta performances, both as an actor and/or a
singer. Such a practice originated from the system of education of the social
and professional dramatic schools, which was based on polyvalent roles,
which meant that theatre actors in practice acted as actors, singers and/
or directors.2 It was established in most provincial theatres of the Austri-
an monarchy as well as elsewhere. The independent role of the director was
first introduced by the Moscow Drama School, founded by the famous Rus-
sian actor Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavsky at the beginning of the 20th
century, where he developed theatrical naturalism and the director’s func-
tion became both discipline and art. With his acting and directing meth-
ods, Stanislavsky has significantly marked the modern theatre and opera.
He also took part in the Opera Studio of the Bolshoi Theatre, established
in 1918. The Stanislavsky system, which he himself named “spiritual real-
1 The authors acknowledge financial support from the state budget by the Slovenian
Research Agency (project No. P6-0376).
2 Darja Koter, »Glasbeno-gledališka režija na Slovenskem: od diletantizma Dra-
matičnega društva do poskusov profesionalizacije v Deželnem gledališču« / “Mu-
sic Theatre Directing in Slovenia: From Dilettantism of the Dramatic Society to (the
Attempts of) Professionalism in the Regional Theatre,” Muzikološki zbornik / Musico-
logical Annual 46/1 (2010): 57–72.
333
