The Year of Slovak Theatre 2020
The year 2020 marks a major jubilee: the centenary of the foundation of the Slovak National Theatre (1 March 1920). The milestone in the history of Slovak theatre and, equally, in our culture and cultural identity. As such, it is indeed a national milestone. The foundation of the Slovak National Theatre opened new era in history of theatre on the territory of present-day Slovakia. The year 2020 also marks the 190th anniversary of the first-ever première of amateur theatre performance on our territory (the city of Liptovský Mikuláš, 22 August 1830). The double jubilee draws a major historical link between amateur and professional theatre in Slovakia that have always been a harmonious unit.
The jubilees and their celebrations let our mind wander back in time to realise fully the contribution of Slovak professional and amateur theatre to culture and learning.
The events within the framework of The Year of Slovak Theatre 2020 have common aims: to present the values of the past and present era in Slovak theatre culture at home and internationally, to raise awareness of the values of our theatre culture, to contribute to the advancement of aesthetic perception of reality, and to add wealth to our spiritual life. The aims pave the way to forging new institutional partnerships and creative collaborations, and to link theatre to other artistic genres.
The year 2020 will thus be dedicated to celebrations, recollections, new aims and partnerships. Do treat yourself to the productions that are emerging within the Year of Slovak theatre 2020.
The project Year of Slovak theatre 2020 was declared by the Slovak Government and is implemented under the auspices of the Slovak Ministry of Culture and the institutions it oversees as founder: Slovak National Theatre, Theatre Institute and National Centre of Culture and Further Education.
Flagship projects
Read on about eight flagship projects within The Year of Slovak Theatre 2020.
A Century of Theatre - Traces and Stances
Theatre Institute in Bratislava
The extensive representative exhibition A Century of Theatre: Traces and Stances is brought to you by the Theatre Institute in collaboration with the Slovak National Museum. It is held in the SNM History Museum (Bratislava Castle, 2nd floor) from 28 February 2020 to 5 September 2021. The exhibition explores the principal directions, events and names that shaped Slovak professional theatre from its onset until the present day. It highlights cultural and public events that affected the evolution of Slovak theatre.
The exhibition, presented across 1,500 sq metres, consists of over 1,000 items from Slovakia and abroad. The thirteen curators include leading theatre theorists and historians.
Principal curator: Zuzana Nemcová
theatre.sk
Theatre Institute in Bratislava
he documentary exhibition theatre.sk, held during the Year of Slovak Theatre 2020, features the key events, names and facts related to the evolution of Slovak professional theatre. At the same time, it presents a comprehensive picture of professional theatre and its close links to national cultural identity. The exhibition further offers information about representative platforms, theatre festivals, institutions and publication activities related to theatre. It presents exceptional stage productions across different theatre genres, along with theatre architecture within Slovak context.
The touring exhibition is an opportunity for you to learn, throughout 2020, about Slovak theatre in different cities across Slovakia, as well as in Slovak institutes in a number of European countries.
Principal curator: Zuzana Nemcová
Slovak Theatre Showcase
Theatre Institute in Bratislava
he 2020 edition of the Nová dráma/New Drama was supposed to be held in Bratislava from 11 till 16 May 2020. During this time the World Congress and Conference of the International Association of Theatre Critics was also supposed to happen. An event that would present Slovak theatre, dance and drama to theatre specialists from across the globe would be part of it too. Because of spreading coronavirus these events were postponed till next year (2021).
In addition to competition performances within the festival Nová dráma/New Drama 2020, congress participants would have an opportunity to view an additional dozen of current stage productions outside the festival programme, to become acquainted with Slovak theatre and theatre-makers through theoretical events, discussion panels and appealing Festival formats.
These events will be organized in 2021 by The Theatre Institute, in conjunction with the International Association of Theatre Critics (AICT/IATC).
History of Slovak Theatre II (1949 – 2000)
Theatre Institute in Bratislava
nother volume of to the extensive publication, one of the kind in Slovak theatre studies, History of Slovak Theatre II (1949 – 2000) follows from the first volume published in 2018 that explored the evolution of Slovak theatre within the period of 1920 and 1948 with particular focus on Slovak theatre prior to its professionalisation. The second volume follows in the same direction. It maps – comprehensively and in detail – the evolution of professional theatre in Slovakia that continues to grow, expand in range and presents new values over the period in focus.
The publication addresses all types of theatre activities, seeking their intersections and cultural overlap. It presents the developmental trends in Slovak theatre works on stage professional theatres.
Conceptual input and specialist editor: Vladimír Štefko
Scenic Harvest
National Centre of Culture and Further Education
Scenic Harvest isn’t merely the largest nationwide festival with international participants, but also the oldest festival of non-professional theatre in Europe.
Today the Festival is the utmost showcase of local companies and individuals in all genres of amateur theatre, and of selected companies from abroad. The Festival offers space for learning supported by theatre theorists, dramaturges, stage directors, set designers, and theatre critics.
Scenic Harvest, convened by the National Centre of Culture and Further Education, is scheduled for the second half of December 2020 and will take place ONLINE. The festival was postponed because of coronavirus. To mark The Year of Slovak Theatre, the 98th Festival edition was supposed to include rememberance activities, within the Festival programme, as well asoff-programme and learning events, but it happened in online form.
Theatre Event
National Centre of Culture and Further Education
he Liptov Culture Centre in the city of Liptovský Mikuláš, founded by the Žilina Self-Governing Region in conjunction with the City of Liptovský Mikuláš and other cultural institutions, are dedicating, throughout 2020, a significant part of their activities to the promotion and celebration of the 190th anniversary of the foundation of Slovak amateur theatre.
Throughout the year, the city of Liptovský Mikuláš will be hosting two exhibitions dedicated to amateur theatre: Amateur Theatre in Liptov in Photography and Homage to G. F. Belopotocký. The city will also be hosting the 46th edition of Belopotockého Mikuláš – national competition of amateur theatre for adults. On 22 August 2020 that marks the very 190th anniversary of the foundation of amateur theatre, the city presents a performance entitled Theatre Event.
… That´s Us … (1 March 2020 at 19.00 hrs, SND old building)
Slovak National Theatre
Multigenre jubilee production marking the centenary of the Slovak National Theatre
The gala marking the SND centenary is not merely an attempt to recount the chronology of the SND, or sing accolades about its artistic output and successful productions. It is a contemplation about the nature of an institution of national theatre, a polemic about the meaning of and need for culture. The feature-length production highlights fundamental issues brought to the wider social context by the foundation and existence of the SND and its struggle for sovereignty. The programme also reflects the imprint the Theatre has left in public mind. It is also a quest to identify the milestones and junctions of the three ensembles within the SND. The gala offers unorthodox take on the past and present of the Theatre, and invites us to contemplate our vision of its future.
Dramaturgy Miriam Kičiňová, Marek Mokoš, directed by Jozef Dolinský
100 Years – SND
Slovak National Theatre
Slovak National Theatre (SND), in conjunction with Slovart Publishing Ltd, is currently preparing a volume that presents hundred years of the SND as Slovakia’s prime professional stage. Emblematically for the SND centenary, the portrait is a collage of one hundred key drama, operatic, operetta and ballet productions. The selection represents artistic yield of the productions in terms of bringing a step forward in theatre standards, having become an author’s chef d’oeuvre, and at the same time, turning out to be not a notable public event, whilst reflecting political and social context of the time.
As a bonus, the material offers ample information about the foundation of the Theatre and its evolutionary lines, about its buildings and the SND Stage Decorations and Costume Studios. The publication, one of the kind in Slovakia, comes from the theatre theorists Nadežda Lindovská, Michaela Mojžišová and Dagmar Podmaková.
You can find more information on The Years of Slovak Theatre 2020 website.
