CROATIAN NATIONAL THEATRE IVAN pl.ZAJC

The whole History of.....

Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc in Rijeka was solemnly open on the 3rd October 1885 under the name Teatro comunale. For the opening and the first season in a new building, two great and luxurious operas, not jet shown in Rijeka, have been prepared. They were "Aida" by Verdi and "Gioconda" by Ponchielli.

Common people have fun here in a joyous game, here they will boost in eternal, immortal sentiments that are seduced by the best ghosts of all people. The ghost of all times will speak to them here with its powerful expression, the people will find here the true human values! The artistic sentiment illuminates and enriches everything it embraces. So the theatre has a great influence on the moral development of the public…Muses, the ones which are humans' true friends, will happily and solemnly open the doors of this temple! Music and song, poetry and proze are matched in the service of beauty! This temple, made by God, will become a popular place for the citizens of Rijeka…, said Ferdinand Fellner, the architect, on Saturday, the 3rd October 1885., handing over the keys of the theatre to the mayor Giovanni Ciotti, the grandson of Ljudevita Adamić, meaning that "the muses' temple", design by him and Herman Gottlieb Helmer, was finished.To the theatre's gravely opening under the name "Teatro Comunale", todays Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc in Rijeka, many guests and citizens have attended that morning. Premiere of the first show, "Aida" by Verdi, for which Italian most dignified and popular singers have been choosen, should have been held in the evening, however, when many guests came, the show was canceled for the next day due to some problems with electric illumination. So 800 electric lamps in the theatre and six big street lights in frot of it have glared in their full glow and lighten the great building in Rijeka.

Solemn, rich equipped and accurately prepared "Aida" was excellently carried out. The spectators were thrilled. They enjoyed in a great performance, in an imposing building, in the art-work of the architecture which has shown itself in its full beauty and size. The buildings figural sculptures and ornamental works were made by a popular Venician architect August Benvenuti, and the pictures on the ceiling by a painter Franz Matsch in co-operation with more popular brothers Gustav and Ernest Klimt. During the first season, not counting guests in lodges, 29 shows of "Aida" and 11 performances of "La Gioconde" was seen by 15 431 viewers.

Under the direction of a maestro Gaetan Cimini, a well known and popular singers - Medea Borelli, Clotilde Sartori i Mary Guttemberg - have proved themselves even more skillful. From its earliest days the theatre in Rijeka has been visited by many famous names in theatre world like Giacomo Puccini, young in the time but alredy famous, and Pietro Mascagni who directed his opera "Il piccolo Marat", then a woman born in Rijeka and a great actress Irma Gramatica… In 1898 The most famous tenor of his time Enrico Caruso was a guest in Rijeka's theatre, and in 1941 a famous Begniamino Gigli performed there. There were also many stars among which, surely, the most distinguished was the great tragedy astress Sarah Bernhardt who in 1899 was aguest with her company in "Lady with Camelias" by Dumas.In its rich history Rijeka's theatre has many times changed its name. In 1913 "Teatro Comunale" was renamed into "Teatro Verdi" after the biggest Italian opera composer. Croatian word and croatian theatre artists didn't have access to the theatre because of historical and political reasons till the end of 1945 when, like similar steady national theatre institutions at home and abroad, perminent National Theatre in Rijeka was formed with Croatian drama, Italian drama and Opera and balet. On the 4th January 1946 the first administration was elected with intendant dr. Đuro Rošić at the top. Soon, another historical date for the theatre occured. It was on the 20th October 1946 when for the first time a show in Croatian language played on its stage. It was "Dubravka" by Ivan Gundulić, directed by dr. Matko Foteza and with Marija Crnobori who played Dubravka.

Soon, the first opera and balet show started. It was "Nikola Šubić Zrinjski" by Ivan pl. Zajc, to which Boris Papandopulo was a manager and the main role was sang by Milan Pihler. It was on the 2nd of November 1946. The first show of Italian drama - "Il burbero beneficio" by Goldoni, was performed on the 26th November 1946.

In 1991 the theatre gets a new name after another composer, but this time after the biggest croatian composer and a famous citizen of Rijeka - Ivan Zajc - who had in 1857. directed "Nabucco" by Verdi on the stage and set up on it more works by Verdi. In 1860 he set up his own opera "Amelija" which was welcomed with boisterous uplift from citizens who celebrated work and a young maestro .From 1991 the theatre gets a status of the national theatre and in 1994 its name - Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc. From the historical 1946 to today, with its four artistic branches (Croatian drama, Dramma italiano, Simphonic opera and Balet) and with sixty years their continuous work, with its quality performance Rijeka's CNT managed to set high theatrical and artistic criterias and carve out its righful place as, by quality, one of the leading theatres in Croatia. At the same time its repertoire is distinguished by accurately deliberated identity in which a fresh read dramatic, opera and balet classics or works of croatian drama and opera heretage are performed, and modern works are shown as premieres.