National Theatre in Belgrade

The first idea of a permanent theater in Belgrade, appeared in 1851. Until then, there were no professional acting companies nor appropriate theater buildings for performance of plays. The first plays were performed in reconstructed buildings and spaces, such as former Customs House (Djumrukana), hotel “At the Deer”, Great pub, hotel “Serbian Crown” or tavern “At the Queen of England.”

Through the efforts of the Board “Admirers of National Education” and the Theatre Board, the collection of charitable contributions was organized: Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjević contributed 1000 and Captain Miša Anastasijević 500 ducats, while the Government of the Principality of Serbia donated land in Zeleni venac and the amount of 2,000 ducats.

Finally, in 1868 the decision was made on a new position for the Theater Building. An area around the former Stambol Gate, a symbol of centuries of Turkish rule over the Serbian people, was elected. Simultaneously with set future Theatre Building, the first play of the newly founded National Theatre was held with performance of pieces from the national repertoire “Djuradj Branković” on the stage of tavern “At the Queen of England.”

On the ground floor there was a porch, above which, on the level of the first floor, there was a terrace with a decorative fence. The interior of the first building was realized by indirectly accepted Italian models, according to which the greatest attention was paid to organization and comfort of the auditorium. The special importance was given to the decoration of the royal box with draperies, crown and throne procured in Vienna’s art workshops.

The lighting of the stage and of the entire theater was provided by a gas station - gasara, located in an abandoned Kara Mosque at the corner of Dositejeva and Braće Jugovića Street. Permanent needs for “beautification” of the most popular building in Belgrade of that period, were realized through numerous modifications and processing of the original interior.

Thus, as early as 1905, a new decorative painting on the stage, auditorium and  the foyer was executed. According to the plans of Dragutin Inkiostri Medenjak, first Serbian decorative painter, who used his skills to decorate numerous palaces in Belgrade, decorations inspired by motifs from folk art, ornament and traditions were made. 

However, insufficiently large area of the stage, and a series of technical difficulties, contributed to the commencement of the reconstruction of the building, already in 1912, which, due to the outbreak of World War I, lasted up to 1921. According to the idea of the architect Josif Bukavac, purity and harmony of the original building was replaced with emphasized Neo-Baroque facades, whose entry point was accentuated by two corner towers for the staircases.

The next reconstruction of the Theater Building was in 1940, but due to the destruction of the auditorium and stage in the April bombing of Belgrade in 1941, the realization came at the end of the year. According to the ideas of architects Gojko Todić and Dragan Gudović, the building changed the appearance completely. All former decorative plastics were removed from the main façade except for profiled roof cornice.

The theater retained this appearance during subsequent reconstruction in 1965, when the entrance hall, auditorium and orchestra space were renovated under the management of the architect Nikola Šercer. Certainly the most interesting and important reconstruction of the National Theater Building, performed in the period between 1986 and 1989, opened a debate between experts and the general public on the issue whether the building should restore the original appearance or contours from 1922.

However, appearance of the building from the period of its first reconstruction was renovated and glazed technical annex was added to the rear of the building after the designs by architects Ljubomir Drinjaković and Slobodan Zdravković. During this reconstruction, according to the concept of architect Milan Pališaški, authentic interior ambience was rebuilt completely in order to confirm visual and symbolic values of the old theater.

The bust of Prince Mihailo, work of Italian sculptor Enrico Pazzi from 1872, was placed in the vestibule and the painted composition of Kolesnjikov on the ceiling was reconstructed based on surviving original designs. Fighting the tumultuous historical events that marked the Serbian history for decades, the National Theatre survived as a testimony to the preservation of Serbian culture and tradition, but also as a real “Beacon of Serbian Spirituality” in the future.

Due to its cultural, historic, architectural, urban, artistic and aesthetic values, in 1983 the National Theatre in Belgrade was established a cultural monument of great value. Today, under its roof, there are three artistic ensembles - Opera, Drama and Ballet.