In the year of the 90th anniversary of the Opera of the National Theatre, the National Theatre stages in the Museum of Applied Art from 9th to 25th September 2010 an exhibition of opera premieres’ posters, programmes and banners which the Theatre Publishing Department realised in cooperation with eminent painters and illustrators.

Mr. Božidar Đurović, General Manager of the National Theatre in Belgrade, assesses that the Theatre has had a very successful season “not only from the statistical, but also from the artistic point of view”. – The management’s goal was to upgrade the artistic level of our productions. I believe that we can be satisfied with what we have achieved – says Mr. Đurović at the press conference. 141st season of the National Theatre will officially be closed on 10th July with Gala Concert of Bern Youth Orchestra and “Borislav Pašćan” Young Players’ Philharmonic Orchestra.

It is for the first time in the National Theatre’s history that a Main Stage production has been shown to Leskovac audience before the Belgrade one. The Golden Calf has been previewed in Leskovac on 22 June, and several days later it received ovations in Šabac and subsequently in Pančevo as well. Namely, the comedy, which originates from a novel by well-known Russian writers, Ilya Ilf and Evgeny Petrov, translated by Nikola Nikolić and directed by Goran Marković, with Milan Lane Gutović in the leading role, shall have its opening night at the beginning of October on the National Theatre’s Main Stage. Besides Gutović, in this amusing story about a resourceful swindler Ostap Bender and his attempts to steal from an illegal millionaire, the cast includes Igor Đorđević (Alexandar Ivanovich Koreyko), Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković (Panikovsky), Nenad Stojmenović (Shura Balaganov), Darko Tomović (Adam Kozlevich), Radovan Miljanić (President of the Municipality), Rade Marković (Funt), Ivan Zarić (Young Man) and Ivana Jovanović (Zosya Sinitskaya). Goran Marković, the director, has dramatized the novel by famous Russian writers for this production, while the team of authors consist of Boris Maksimović (set design), Ljiljana Petrović (costume design), Zoran Simjanović (original music), Ivana Dimić (dramaturgy), Ljiljana Mrkić Popović (speech), Andreja Maričić (assistant director), etc.

Božidar Đurović, General Manager of the National Theatre in Belgrade, and Nikola Mirkov, Manager of Radio Television Serbia – TV Belgrade, have signed the Agreement on Cooperation on 10th June. The parties agreed to establish cooperation of mutual interest regarding development of culture in general, within their possibilities, and with cooperative usage of technical and technological capacities, media space and contents.

On 27th May, Mr. Božidar Đurović, General Manager of the National Theatre in Belgrade, and Mr. Abdel-Moneim Kamel, Managing Board President of Cairo Opera House, signed the Protocol on Long-Term Cooperation. The two houses agree to perform, within their possibilities, as guest in the other theatre’s stage; i.e. Cairo Opera House to perform on stage of the National Theatre in Belgrade and vice versa. The theatres also agree to co-produce, exchange authors, artists and other professionals, in addition to other forms of cooperation between the theatres of interest to both parties. First joint production should take place in autumn 2011, as announced at the occasion. The initiative for the cooperation was given by Mr. Nebojša Bradić, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, with support of Mr. Dejan Vasiljević, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in Egypt.

Fourth “Open Door Day” in the National Theatre was held on Saturday, 19th June at 11AM, 1 PM and 3 PM. Visitors had a tour with Mr. Milovan Zdravković, PhD, as a guide through the Theatre’s building. The guide gave them information on this institution of national importance. Visitors saw the standing exhibitions, video presentations on our productions, got to know how we work, visited dressing-rooms, workshops, coffee-shop… They were also in a situation to talk to the General Manager of the National Theatre, Mr. Božidar Đurović. The next “Open Door Day” will be organized mid-September, at the very beginning of 142nd season of the National Theatre.