The National Theatre of Republika Srpska proudly carries the role of cultural diplomat, and participation in the manifestation “Serb Days – a month of Serb culture in Hungary” is a great honor and responsibility, as well as an opportunity to promote Serb culture and art in an international setting, said the theatre’s director, Dijana Grbić, in a statement to SRNA.
Grbić emphasized that the performance and participation of the National Theatre’s string orchestra at the event, which was officially opened last night in Budapest, creates new opportunities for cooperation and the exchange of experiences.
“The most important thing is that we build lasting cultural ties. The National Theatre of Republika Srpska proudly carries the role of cultural diplomat,” said Grbić.
She thanked the organizer, the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Buda, for the invitation and assessed that events such as “Serb Days – a month of Serb culture in Hungary” represent the foundation of cultural diplomacy.
According to her, after a successful presentation in Tatarstan, where artists from Srpska performed the play “The German Woman”, the promotion of artistic creativity is continuing in the heart of Europe within a very short timeframe.
“The string orchestra of the National Theatre of Republika Srpska, together with renowned soloists Dejan Trkulja and Teodor Ikanović, successfully conveyed the spirit of our artistic music to the Hungarian audience,” Grbić emphasized.
She added that the National Theatre has the full support of the President of Republika Srpska.
“We are glad that he recognized the National Theatre as an institution that can adequately and with quality represent Republika Srpska on the international cultural scene,” said Grbić.
Conductor and artistic director of the Symphony Orchestra of the National Theatre of Srpska, Dušan Vere Urošević, told SRNA that the manifestation “Serb Days” in Hungary is an opportunity for the newly established orchestra to present itself in Budapest.
“After our appearance at the Tivat Music Festival in June, this is our second extremely important international performance, where the selected string orchestra presented the works of Serb composers from the mid-19th century to the present day,” said Urošević.
The concert program included works by Vlado Milošević, Svetislav Božić, and Aleksandar Sedlar. Soloists Dejan Trkulja on clarinet and Teodor Ikanović on violin also performed with the orchestra.
“A special satisfaction of this guest performance is the fact that the Serb national minority living in Hungary wants to hear the artistic music of Serb composers during this manifestation. At the host’s suggestion, the artistic team of the National Theatre of Republika Srpska selected the pieces Bosnian Suite, On Young Sunday, and Serb Fantasy,” Urošević added.
He expressed gratitude to composer Aleksandar Sedlar, who provided the score for Serb Fantasy for string orchestra and solo violin specifically for this performance at “Serb Days” in Hungary.
The aim of the manifestation, attended by high-ranking Hungarian officials as well as representatives from Serbia and Republika Srpska, is to present, preserve, and develop Serb culture in Hungary, while enriching the broader cultural scene. It will last until September 24.
The main organizer of the event is the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Buda, with the patronage of the Office of the President of Republika Srpska and the Ministry of Culture of Serbia.
Source: RTRS
