Page 337 - 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. 337
ciril debevec – the first professional opera director in slovenia
nowned Viennese drama school Otto. After the war, Nučič did not direct
at Ljubljana Opera anymore and Povhe mainly focused on operetta per-
formances.6 The time between the two world wars, characterized by mod-
ernist styles and avant-gardism, encouraged the establishment of direct-
ing approaches at the Ljubljana Opera, which were overlooked up until that
time. Each artistic leader of the ensemble primarily focused on the musical
part of the performances and ensured the best possible singing solo perfor-
mance, while the role of directing was often peripheral. This is confirmed
by several facts, including the fact that the Opera did not employ a director
until 1939, but was satisfied with “guest” directors who often did this role
as the conductor of a certain performance.7 The Opera’s leadership did not
sufficiently deepen in the actual competences of individuals who directed,
such as broad musical perception, the ability to read partitures, and mu-
sicality. It should be emphasized that the directors operating at the Dra-
ma did not have the right affinities towards the Opera’s shows, and most of
them avoided these tasks, while some of the younger ones relied on them
only for existential reasons, hoping for opportunities at the Drama. In the
first decade after World War I, European educated Osip Šest (1893-1962)
was most often engaged as director of opera performances, although he was
employed at the Drama, and he gradually introduced more modern direc-
tions. After 1930, these tasks were occasionally performed by his younger
colleagues, Ciril Debevec, Bratko Kreft and Bojan Stupica, who were pro-
filed differently, and together with Branko Gavello, we regard them as a
great “director quartet,” named so by the expert of the history of Sloveni-
an dramatic directing Dušan Moravec.8 Osip Šest, professional actor, grad-
uate of the Otto school, and connoisseur of Stanislavski’s directing models
6 Darja Koter, »Razvoj profila gledališkega in opernega režiserja na Slovenskem med
obema vojnama« / “Development of the Theatre and Opera director’s Role in Slove-
nia Between the Two World Wars”, Muzikološki zbornik / Musicological Annual 46/2
(2010): 114-15.
7 From 1919 to 1929, the role of director in Opera was also performed by the Czech
composer and conductor Antonin Balatka, a graduate of the Prague Conservato-
ry, who worked in Ljubljana for ten years. Prim. Darja Koter, »Migracija v ljubljans-
ki Operi v obdobju ravnatelja Friderika Rukavine« / “European Cultural Migration
and Ljubljana Opera in the Period of Director Friderik Rukavina”, Glasbene migraci-
je: stičišče evropske glasbene raznolikosti / Musical Migrations: Crossroads of Europe-
an Musical Diversity, edited by J. Weiss (Portorož: Založba Univerze na Primorskem;
Ljubljana: Festival, 2017), 348.
8 Prim. Dušan Moravec, Slovenski režiserski kvartet (z gostom) / Slovenian directing
quartet (with guest): Osip Šest, Ciril Debevec, Branko Gavella, Bratko Kreft, Bojan Stu-
pica (Ljubljana: Slovenski gledališki in filmski muzej, 1996).
335
nowned Viennese drama school Otto. After the war, Nučič did not direct
at Ljubljana Opera anymore and Povhe mainly focused on operetta per-
formances.6 The time between the two world wars, characterized by mod-
ernist styles and avant-gardism, encouraged the establishment of direct-
ing approaches at the Ljubljana Opera, which were overlooked up until that
time. Each artistic leader of the ensemble primarily focused on the musical
part of the performances and ensured the best possible singing solo perfor-
mance, while the role of directing was often peripheral. This is confirmed
by several facts, including the fact that the Opera did not employ a director
until 1939, but was satisfied with “guest” directors who often did this role
as the conductor of a certain performance.7 The Opera’s leadership did not
sufficiently deepen in the actual competences of individuals who directed,
such as broad musical perception, the ability to read partitures, and mu-
sicality. It should be emphasized that the directors operating at the Dra-
ma did not have the right affinities towards the Opera’s shows, and most of
them avoided these tasks, while some of the younger ones relied on them
only for existential reasons, hoping for opportunities at the Drama. In the
first decade after World War I, European educated Osip Šest (1893-1962)
was most often engaged as director of opera performances, although he was
employed at the Drama, and he gradually introduced more modern direc-
tions. After 1930, these tasks were occasionally performed by his younger
colleagues, Ciril Debevec, Bratko Kreft and Bojan Stupica, who were pro-
filed differently, and together with Branko Gavello, we regard them as a
great “director quartet,” named so by the expert of the history of Sloveni-
an dramatic directing Dušan Moravec.8 Osip Šest, professional actor, grad-
uate of the Otto school, and connoisseur of Stanislavski’s directing models
6 Darja Koter, »Razvoj profila gledališkega in opernega režiserja na Slovenskem med
obema vojnama« / “Development of the Theatre and Opera director’s Role in Slove-
nia Between the Two World Wars”, Muzikološki zbornik / Musicological Annual 46/2
(2010): 114-15.
7 From 1919 to 1929, the role of director in Opera was also performed by the Czech
composer and conductor Antonin Balatka, a graduate of the Prague Conservato-
ry, who worked in Ljubljana for ten years. Prim. Darja Koter, »Migracija v ljubljans-
ki Operi v obdobju ravnatelja Friderika Rukavine« / “European Cultural Migration
and Ljubljana Opera in the Period of Director Friderik Rukavina”, Glasbene migraci-
je: stičišče evropske glasbene raznolikosti / Musical Migrations: Crossroads of Europe-
an Musical Diversity, edited by J. Weiss (Portorož: Založba Univerze na Primorskem;
Ljubljana: Festival, 2017), 348.
8 Prim. Dušan Moravec, Slovenski režiserski kvartet (z gostom) / Slovenian directing
quartet (with guest): Osip Šest, Ciril Debevec, Branko Gavella, Bratko Kreft, Bojan Stu-
pica (Ljubljana: Slovenski gledališki in filmski muzej, 1996).
335
