The Theatre Institute Bratislava

The Theatre Institute Bratislava documents theatrical events in Slovakia from the first production of professional theater in 1920 to the present.

Don Juan or The Feast of the Stone. Slovak National Theatre (20th Century) by Jozef VavroENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

The Theatre Institute Bratislava

The Theatre Institute (1961) is a specialized institution with nationwide outreach, directly subjected to the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic.

Don Juan. Slovak National Theatre (20th Century) by Gejza PodhorskýENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

It conducts comprehensive research, documentation, scholarly analyses and provision of information on theatre culture in Slovakia dating back to the establishment of the first professional scene in 1920.

Don Juan. Slovak National Theatre (21th Century) by Ctibor BachratýENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

The Institute administers the cultural heritage in all Slovak theatre genres (drama, opera, ballet, dance, puppet theatre, modern performative forms). 

Don Giovanni. Slovak National Theatre (21th Century) by Anton SládekENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

As part of its expert activities, the Institute systematically collects, scientifically processes, protects and makes accessible collection funds (archive, museum and documentation items) about the history and present of Slovak professional theatre. 

Theatre Institute Archives

Each production created in professional theatres has its own comprehensive documentation: photographs, reviews, interviews with the creators, an invitation to the premiere, a bulletin of the production, reviews of the productions.

Dalibor Jenis as Don Giovanni

His interpretation of Don Giovanni brought Dalibor Jenis his first ever nomination for the DOSKY Award for Best Male Performance by an Opera Singer. The prize is awarded by the Slovak Association of Contemporary Theatre.

Don Juan. Slovak National Theatre (20th Century) by Gejza PodhorskýENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

The Evolution of Don Juan in Slovak Theatre History

Don Juan is an ever-present archetype in Slovak theatre. Drama, opera, ballet and puppet troupes stage plays reflecting his legend. From more than fifty productions, we have selected twelve from the years 1956 to 2010. 

The Story of Don Juan

The selection captures the story of Don Juan as told in drama, song, dance, traditional wooden marionettes and a variation of contemporary drama.  Important productions of the Slovak Don Juan tradition include one in which Don Juan is a woman.   

The 1956 Production of Don Juan

Heralded the end of the reign of socialist realism in Slovak opera theatre. It opened the door to stylization and multi-layered interpretation not only in the artistic but also in the directorial and interpretative components.

Don Giovanni. Slovak National Theatre (21th Century) by Alena KlenkováENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

Scene Vladimír Čáp

It waas a representation of a life maze, a labyrinth without beginning or end, in which the viewer watched the passionate escapades and the tragic end of Don Giovanni. 

Scene Vladimír Čáp

In the performance of director Jozef Bednárik, the emptied man became a prisoner of his confused interior.

Don Juan or prodigal son. Slovak marionette theater (21th Century) by Julius DubravayENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

The Story with Hundred Year Old Marionettes

The Slovak Marionette Theatre revived the tradition of European travelling comedians. One of their productions was Don Juan. 

They performed the story with hundred-year-old marionettes.

Don Juan ´96. Puppet Theatre Žilina (20th Century) by Richard KohlerENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

The Rock Ballad Don Juan `96

It was intended for a young audience. Its theme was the defiance of the old and the difficult search for the new. 

Sex, alcohol and drugs were Juan's means of rebellion but also self-destruction.

Don Juan ´96. Puppet Theatre Žilina (20th Century) by Richard KohlerENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

Gold Medal at the Prague Quadrennial

As time passed, emerging artists developed their skills, honed their craft, and steadily transformed into well-established figures within the creative world of their respective domains.

Among other successes, scenic designer Boris Kudlička won a gold medal at the Prague Quadrennial and Robert Roth became a member of the Slovak National Theatre drama troupe.

Metamorphosis. State Theatre Košice (20th Century) by Mária LitavskáENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

Don Juan in the Slovak National Theatre Ballet

The fusion of an unconventional view of the classical fabric was the first dance work in which the Slovak creators were inspired by the figure of Don Juan in one of the parts of the production.

Don Juan. Slovak National Theatre (21th Century) by Ctibor BachratýENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

Don Juan in the Ballet

The SND dramaturgy presented a production based on the ballet by Christoph Willibald Gluck.

Storyline of Don Juan

The stagers created a ballet that uses the storyline of Don Juan as understood by historians and at the same time was readable and understandable for the audience.

Don Juan. Slovak National Theatre (21th Century) by Ctibor BachratýENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

Don Juan in Dance Structure

The SND dramaturgy presented a production based on the ballet by Christoph Willibald Gluck. 

Dance Structure

The most critically acclaimed aspect of the production was the music, which greatly influenced the actual dance structure of the work, while also having the opportunity to reach a wider spectrum of audiences through its composition.

Don Juan in Soho. Jonáš Záborský Theatre Prešov (21th Century) by René MikoENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

Marber's Don Juan in Soho

Has been performed only once at the Jonáš Záborský Theatre in Prešov. The production is dominated by the set - metallic and cold as a parallel to today's society and its morality.

It is conceived as a large camera lens capturing fleeting moments of the characters' lives.

Don(a) Juan(a). Slovak National Uprising Theatre Martin (21th Century) by Matúš OľhaENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

Don Juan Is a Woman

Is an inverted Don Juan in which it is questioned that promiscuity is exclusively male. 

Don(a)Juan(a) by the Slovak Chamber Theatre Martin

The main character is played by actress Jana Oľhová. 

Oľhová's Dona is not an indulgence, but an expression of rejection of the hypocrisy of rejection of the hypocrisy of morality.

Don Juan or The Feast of the Stone. Slovak National Theatre (20th Century) by Jozef VavroENICPA. European Network of Information Centres for the Performing Arts

Stage Design by Ladislav Vychodil

This title was performed for the first time at the Slovak National Theatre. 

For the First Time

The production became aesthetically impressive thanks to Ladislav Vychodil's stage design, which consists of a neutral base of double-sided stairs evoking a Mediterranean scenery.

Credits: Story

The Theatre Institute collaborates with its partner institutions in Slovakia and abroad, especially with partner institutes and museums in the V4 countries. In international cooperation, the Theatre Institute can take advantage of its membership in international non-governmental organizations ITI, ENICPA, IETM, SIBMAS and ICOM. This cooperation allows the Institute to engage in specialized international theatrological events and projects – alongside other regular activities, this allows the Theatre Institute to present Slovak theatre abroad.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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