Dear visitors of the Ljubljana City Theatre!

 

We are looking forward to our theatre's sixtieth season! Entirely festive, of course!
I usually write quite quickly and easily, but this time my task seems really difficult. How on earth am I supposed to squeeze into these few lines my tribute to all those people, who contributed so significantly to the »golden« chapters of the mentioned period of time? It is rather impossible, I am afraid.

Therefore, I will try to tackle this delicate task indirectly, through the repertoire.

The later was conceived with a desire to overcome trivial simultaneity and enable an intensive correspondence between the old and the new times. Thus, we are heading towards our new season hoping to get yet another fleeting glimpse of Julka Starič, Vera Per, Vladimir Skrbinšek, Danilo Bezlaj, Dare Ulaga, Srečo Špik, Slavko Cerjak, Zlatko Šugman … as well as Lojze Filipič and Janez Lenarčič, and … At this very moment the ensemble of the Ljubljana City Theatre is so fresh, young and strong that it is probably the main reason, why this meeting seems particularly meaningful and inspiring. Let the memories, associations, and allusions … bestow upon this courageous lot some additional force! 

We entrusted some of the old stories to our new interpreters' reconsiderations.

Let the new self-confident children – the new points be born from the love encounter between the classical works and the new authors.  We are particularly proud of the fact that in the season's portal stand two giants of the Slovenian modern theatre, the directors Mile Korun and Dušan Jovanović.   

What kind of repertoire are we offering this year? Two dramas, one musical and three comedies … In accordance with the mentioned celebrations, you'll be able to see some more classical texts in comparison to the previous years, which were nevertheless scooped out (except for The Imaginary Invalid) of the basin of the less widespread and less frequently staged works.  … Four new texts and first stagings are planned on the Small Stage and in the Studio as well.

What about the contents? Many of the stories reveal – directly or indirectly - the image of the mythical seducer Don Juan; a motive that is eternal and much wider than it seems at first sight. Don Juan is revealed before us in his serious and also completely hilarious appearance. And in variations, torn between the two extremes. The motif is eternal and indeed demonstrably topical. In spite of the diversity of its playwrights, this season's fil rouge and title would therefore be: ON SEDUCTION AND DECEPTION.

Finally, and for the apparent controversy with many things that were mentioned above, here are the verses, snatched from R. M. Rilke to allure you to our theatre:                                                             

Until I perceived it, no thing was complete,
but waited, hushed, unfulfilled.
My vision is ripe, to each glance like a bride
comes softly the thing that was willed.                                

I kindly welcome you on behalf of the entire ensemble! 
We are looking forward to meeting you in our theatre!

 

Barbara Hieng Samobor, Director and Artistic Director of the Ljubljana City Theatre