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MUST-VISIT Ivan Zajc Croatian NATIONAL THEATER

In 1883, when the municipality authorities, headed by the famous mayor Giovanni Ciotta, grandson of the even more renowned Ljudevit Adamic´, decided to have a new imposing theatre building constructed, they must have been aware that this action was going to have effect upon the centuries to come. The spacious Ürmeny square was chosen as the venue, while the project was ordered in Vienna, in the architectural studio that specializes in theatres, from the architects Herman Gottlieb Helmer and Ferdinand Fellner. All the main Croatian theatres were built in the second half of the 19th century, the one in Rijeka being the second, after the Osijek one (1865) and before those in Split (1893) and Zagreb (1895).

After long lasting preparations and two years of construction and impatient expectations, it was on the third of October in 1885 that the new Municipality Theatre (Teatro Comunale) was opened. Two great operas had been carefully prepared for that festive occasion, namely, Verdi’s Aida and Ponchielli’s La Gioconda. The first visitors and numerous guests could take pleasure in walking around the imposing theatre building, a masterpiece of architecture of that time, presenting itself in all of its beauty, with impressive statues and ornaments made by the famous Venetian sculptor August Benvenuti and the ceiling painted by the painter Franz Matsch, together with his even more famous brothers Gustav and Ernest Klimt. The two operas were conducted by Gaetano Cimini, while the stars of the evening were popular and much favoured singers, Medea Borelli, Clotilde Sartori and Mary Guttemberg. Everyone could also witness real technological wonders of their time, namely, the first electrical bulb and the first telephone in the town. Rijeka’s audience had always loved theatre and waited impatiently for new guest performances of their favourite opera and comedy companies from Milan, Venice and other theatre centres. Since its earliest days, Rijeka’s Thalia was visited by numerous famous theatre personalities, such as the young but already famous composers Giacomo Puccini and Pietro Mascagni, the latter having conducted his opera Il piccolo Marat, then also the great actress Irma Gramatice, born in Rijeka. The greatest tenor of his time, Enrico Caruso, had a guest appearance in the Rijeka theatre in 1898, while the famous Beniamino Gigli sang in Aida in 1941. Numerous acting stars performed in the theatre, such as Ernest Rossi, Ermeteo Novelli and Ermeteo Zacconi, but the best to be remembered among all was the great tragic actress Sarah Bernhardt, who played with her company in Dumas’ La Dame aux Camélias in 1899. The poet and artist Gabriele D’Annunzio paid a visit to the theatre in 1907.

The Rijeka theatre changed its name several times during its rich history. Having been called Municipality Theatre (Teatro Comunale), in 1913 it was renamed to Teatro Verdi, after the greatest Italian opera composer, a logical choice as since its very beginnings it had primarily been an opera house and rightly so according to the preferences shown by its audience.

However, due to historical and political circumstances, neither Croatian language nor Croatian artists had access to the theatre until the end of 1945, when, similarly to other permanent national theatrical institutions in the country and abroad, the National Theatre in Rijeka was founded, with the Croatian company as well as the Italian one, also the opera and ballet company.

Soon afterwards, the first management was appointed. Another historic date for the theatre followed when on the 20th October in 1946 it was the first time that a play in Croatian language was staged, namely, Dubravka by Ivan Gundulic´, directed by Dr Marko Fotez, with Marija Crnobori in the role of Dubravka. Soon the first opera sung in Croatian followed, that is, Nikola Šubic´ Zrinjski by Ivan Zajc, directed by Boris Papandopulo. Then it was the turn of the play in Italian, ll Burbero benefico by Carlo Goldoni. In 1953, the theatre got a new name after another composer, this time the greatest Croatian composer and citizen of Rijeka, Ivan Zajc, who already in 1857 conducted Verdi’s Nabucco in this theatre, as well as many other Verdi’s operas later on.