In the first half of June, not only Nitra but also Bratislava and Košice will come alive with the 33rd edition of the International Festival Divadelná Nitra, subtitled "new view". The PROLOGUE of the festival will take place at the National Theatre Košice from Wednesday, 5th June to Friday, 7th June, showcasing new titles in the repertoire of all three theatre ensembles – drama, ballet, and opera.
"The three-day showcase of the latest creations from the National Theatre in Košice pays tribute to the ambitious artistic projects of the Eastern Slovak scene and the courage to provide a platform for artists who cannot fully pursue their vocation at home due to the devastating Russian war in Ukraine," the organisers wrote in a press release.
As the first performance, audiences will see the dramatic staging of the epic comedy "MR PUNTILA AND HIS MAN MATTI" on Wednesday, June 5th. This play was written by Bertolt Brecht in 1940 while he was fleeing Nazi Germany, residing in Finland, and awaiting a visa to the United States. The works of this pivotal figure in European theatre are rarely performed in our country. Brecht returned to the stage of the Košice theatre in February 2024 after a 52-year absence, and this political comedy was presented by the theatre for the very first time. The director is Košice native Martin Čičvák, who frequently engages with Brecht’s work and is currently one of the most sought-after Slovak directors abroad.
On Thursday, June 6th, the ballet will present the performance "COURAGE EVERY DAY," the third part of the series The Strange Pleasure of Living. "The third installment of The Strange Pleasure of Living, directed and choreographed by Ondrej Šoth, with the libretto and dramaturgy by Zuzana Mistríková, is both readable and comprehensible. It touches all of us – it is a reflection of our current times. If you haven't seen it yet, go to the theatre and take a look at yourself. After all, future generations are growing up, and we are setting the example of what values they will prefer in the future," wrote Zuzana Vachová in her review of the March premiere on the mojakultura.sk portal.
On Friday, June 7th, the opera will conclude the PROLOGUE while also officially opening the festival with a performance of Giuseppe Verdi's opera Macbeth. This initial collaboration between two geniuses, Verdi and Shakespeare, had its first staging at the National Theatre of Košice in mid-March. The production, directed by Anton Korenči and musically conducted by Peter Valentovič, received a favourable response from both the audience and critics. "The latest Košice production, based on the preferred Paris version of the work (1865), has a clear, original dramaturgical concept that the producers successfully transferred from paper to stage – something that is far from a given in opera house... Macbeth adds to the theatre's repertoire an opera production that has the potential to appeal to a broad audience spectrum – 'modern classic' in the best sense of the word," wrote musicologist Michaela Mojžišová in her review of the premiere on the portal operaslovakia.sk. On this evening, festival curator Michal Zwiefelhofer, General Director of NDKE Andrej Šoth, and Director of NDKE Opera Roland Khern Tóth will address the audience.
Tickets are available:
5th June - MR PUNTILA AND HIS MAN MATTI: https://svk-websale.colosseum.eu/ndkosice/standard/Hall/Index/34516/_sla_JegvWz0Bfft_sla_gwMocs9ww_rov__rov__xcodex_AGA1gFbU4wjmD3f2eX_com_df-pK2kEcAq-RRFhUPg__?.
6th June - COURAGE EVERY DAY (The Strange Pleasure of Living III): https://svk-websale.colosseum.eu/ndkosice/standard/Hall/Index/35318/SHWu5dRI_plu_NEJlj4heDXcOA_rov__rov__xcodex_AGA1gFbU4wh20m4-5v_com_ciCpIrnHRgc3Toa_com_7Cw__?.
7th June - MACBETH: https://svk-websale.colosseum.eu/ndkosice/standard/Hall/Index/35320/TOTWhFterZGtMP13WSTBbA_rov__rov__xcodex_AGA1gFbU4wiGoacprguGQRaemh6Ia2VRPtD6yQ__?.
