68 | Beograd » Belgrade R I TAM GRADA / RHYTHM OF THE CI TY I’ve been themanager of the opera ensemble of theNationalTheatre inBelgrade since September. I also had the honour and responsibility of continuing to nurture the long tradition of the best of the best in the domestic opera repertoire during the pandemic, while simultaneously preserving the memories of the many doyens who gave their premiere performances on the very opera stage of the NationalTheatre.The Opera at the National Theatre has spent more than a century developing, perfecting and giving itself to its numerous visitors. Plans Alongside the major titles that are planned, in the coming days we will develop premieres of smaller formats,musical showswith a smaller number of performF ROM MY ANGL E : DR AGOL J UB BA J I Ć, OP E R A MANAGE R AT T HE NAT I ONA L T HEAT R E Opera is an inextricable part of Belgrade The opera has immeasurable importance to the capital. It is a place of culture and exchange where art and music come to life, and which desires to address universal topics through emotions and timeless works ers that would be more intimate and somehow closer to the audience, whilst also being harmonised with the epidemiological situation and COVID prevention measures. In the same way, we will prepare and realise children's operas, which I believe both parents and children will love to watch. The Belgrade Opera’s repertoire currently includes over 40 titles. And there are few others in the region and beyond that can boast of such a volume of shows that are current and are performed throughout the season. Guest performances We opened the season with guests from Romania, hosting the conductor Sandu and baritone Ionut Pascu. The Belgrade Opera recalls the most famous names in the field of classical music. I have performed with many of them, and have also met many important world greats. Luciano Pavarotti sang La Traviata in 1961; Mario del Monaco performed in 1960, 1970 and 1971, in the operas Othello, Norma, Carmen and Pagliacci; Placido Domingo performed twice in 1972, in Tosca and Carmen, while we were visited twice during the last century by Franco Corelli and Giuseppe Di Stefano. In 1969, Anna Moffo sang La Traviata, Elena Obraztsova performed in Carmen and Cavalleria rusticana, and Bonaldo Giaiotti was a guest of ours as many as four times…There have really been many greats, it’s impossible to count them all. Belgrade The history of opera in our country has been inscribed by our celebrated names from the second half
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