Zagreb - Croatian National Theatre
by Natasa Lujic
The Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb is located in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. It was established in 1840. The following year it gained government support putting it on par with many of other national theatres around Europe. In 1870 a national opera company was formed based out of the theatre. There are also Croatian National Theatres in Split, Rijeka, Osijek, Varaždin and Zadar. The Theatre moved to its current building in 1895. Austro-Hungarian emperor Franz Joseph I was at the unveiling of this new building. The building itself was the project of famed Viennese architects Ferdinand Fellner and Herman Helmer, whose firm had built several theatres in Vienna. Celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the building were held on October 14, 1995.At the entrance of the theatre is located the famed wall fountain The Source of Life, designed by Croatian artist and sculptor Ivan Meštrović in 1905. Many of Croatia's finest artist have worked at the Theatre. Ivan Zajc was the Theatre's first conductor. Jakov Gotovac was the Theatre's opera conductor from 1923 to 1958. The famous Croatian director Branko Gavella began his brilliant career here, as did the first Croatian prima ballerina Mia Čorak Slavenska. Contact Natasa Lujic for more info.
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