Slovenian National Theatre Drama Ljubljana

Slovene National Theatre (SNG) Ljubljana - Drama is one of the nine professional repertoire theatres in Slovenia and at the same time the oldest of the three theatres founded by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia. Its repertoire includes contemporary, classical, and experimental dramatic works of Slovene and foreign playwrights. The most recent première of the Slovene National Theatre Drama Ljubljana is William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar [Julij Cezar] directed by Diego de Brea, which includes the most prominent members of the theatre's ensemble.

History

With its formal status as a national statutory institution, SNG Drama Ljubljana has been declared heir to the noble tradition of the Slovene Dramatic Society which staged the first performance in the Slovene language in the premises of the Ljubljana Reading Society on 24 October 1867. Since its conception, the theatre was organised under a number of names. Thus the Dramatic Society subsequently became the Provincial Theatre in Ljubljana and was renamed the National Theatre in Ljubljana in 1918, in 1919 it was renamed to Royal Theatre and in 1920 again National Theatre. During World War II, it operated under the names State Theatre and Slovene National Theatre on liberated territory, and after the war Drama of the Slovene National Theatre in Ljubljana. It acquired its current name in 1992.

Programme

Over the last decade, SNG Drama Ljubljana focused its repertory to most demanding works of classical authors, to modern dramatic works, and non-commercial European and Slovene contemporary dramatic texts, which were predominantly staged in line with contemporary performing practices, thus keeping the theatre's repertory in touch with contemporary European theatre. To this purpose, SNG Drama commissioned a number of younger directors with new poetics and aesthetics. Plays by Slovene authors are regularly included in the programme. Most recent productions of Slovene texts include: Silently Strikes the Clock [Niha ura tiha] (2008) by Drago Jančar, The Class [Razred] (2006) by Matjaž Zupančič, considered the first Slovene play dealing with ramifications of contemporary capitalist society and which received the Grum Award for best play in 2006, The Life of Provincial Playboys After the Second World War [Življenje podeželskih plejbojev po drugi svetovni vojni] (2008) by Dušan Jovanovič, The Conqueror [Osvajalec] (2008) by Andrej Hieng, Alamut (2005) by Vladimir Bartol, co-produced by Salzburger Festspiele, etc.

The ensemble includes 49 permanent members though a dozen of retired members of the ensemble as well as students of the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television (AGRFT) regularly appear in the theatre's productions. The theatre annually presents 10 to 14 new productions, while the repertory commonly consists of over twenty performances.

The theatre regularly presents its most visible productions at Slovene theatre festivals, such as the Borštnik Theatre Festival, Slovene Drama Week, Slovene Festival of Chamber Theatre (SKUP), etc. Its performances as well as individual members of the ensemble are often awarded the highest recognition from the expert audience. Thus the Borštnik Award was given to Jernej Lorenci in 2009 for his direction of Aeschylus' The Oresteia [Oresteja] (2008), while the performances Ordeal by Fire [Katica iz Heilbronna ali Preizkus z ognjem] (2007) by François-Michel Pesenti and Oedipus in Corinth [Ojdip v Korintu] (2006) by Ivica Buljan were given awards for best performance and direction; in 2002 Sarah Kane's Cleansed [Razmadežna] (2001) by Jernej Lorenci also received award for best performance of the year. Individual actors in these productions received a number of awards for best actors at Borštnik Theatre Festival. The theatre often enters co-productions with other Slovene theatres: with Slovene National Theatre (SNG) Nova Gorica, Ptuj City Theatre, Mini Theatre, Slovene National Theatre (SNG) Maribor, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana City Theatre (MGL), etc.

In recent seasons the ensemble has also successfully participated in international festivals in Germany, Sweden, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, South Korea, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Austria, Serbia and Montenegro, Hungary, and Slovakia. In 1996 SNG Drama Ljubljana became a full member of the European Theatre Convention (ETC).

In the 2009-2010 season, SNG Drama Ljubljana presents on its main stage texts by Bernard-Marie Koltès, Thomas Middleton and William Rowley, William Shakespeare, Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, and Boštjan Tadel. On the small stage the programme comprises productions based on texts by Samuel Beckett, Ulrike Syha, Ernst Lubitsch, and Kristijan Muck.

Stages

Main Stage

Type of venue: drama theatre; main use: theatre performances; seating: 469 seats total, comprising 199 stalls, 80 side balcony I, 24 side balcony II , 46 circle I and II, 120 balcony; proscenium opening: 8.45m W x 6.8m H; performing area: 14m W x 17m D x 16m H, flat wooden stage floor suitable for dance; orchestra pit: area for 12 musicians; wing spaces: 3m W SR, 2m W SL; suspension equipment: 20 counterweight lines, max load 180kg each; soft hangings: red house curtain, black tabs, black legs and borders, cyclorama; lighting: DMX 240-channel computerised desk, extensive lighting rig; sound: AMEK 16:8 mixer, power amplifiers and loudspeakers, 8 wireless microphones, 6 microphones; stage equipment: 11m x 11m cinema screen; backstage: 11 male dressing rooms accommodating 33 persons, 9 female dressing rooms accommodating 27 persons, technical staff available; climate control: heating, no air-conditioning; availability: available for hire

Small Stage

Type of venue: drama theatre; main use: theatre performances; seating: 80-100 seats total; performing area: 8m W x 8m D x 2.45m H flat stage floor; suspension equipment: overhead pipe grid for suspension of masking and lighting; soft hangings: black legs and borders; lighting: installed according to need; sound: Soundcraft 16-channel mixer, power amplifiers and loudspeakers, 2 microphones; stage equipment: shared with Main Stage, technical staff available; backstage: 1 dressing room accommodation 2 persons; climate control: heating, no air-conditioning; availability: available for hire

External links

Slovene National Theatre Drama Ljubljana
[label=slovensko+narodno+gledali%C5%A1%C4%8De+drama+&filter[city]=ljubljana&filter[state_id]=0&theatreId=246 SNG Drama Ljubljana architecture] - the history of the building from the Theatre Architecture in Central Europe web database

Slovenian National Theatre Drama Ljubljana

Contents

History

Programme

Stages

See also

External links

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