Page 329 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2021. Opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama ▪︎ Operetta between the Two World Wars. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 5
P. 329
111111111111111111999999999999999999999333333333322222222221974862053189634571209/////////////////////433333333232322222222087596143927064582130oper etta between the two wor ld wars at the oper a of the national theatr e in mar ibor
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
OPERETTA % OPERA %
Graph 1: Percentage ratio of operetta premieres to opera premieres at the National Theatre
in Maribor by individual seasons between the wars.
The lack of interest in operas and symphonic concerts, combined with
the increasing financial difficulties, led Andro Mitrović to leave the Mari-
bor theatre at the end of the 1927/28 season. Along with Ferdo Herzog, Mi-
trović was one of the most important Maribor conductors and managers
between the wars. It was during his reign at the head of the institution, that
the Maribor theatre achieved its first more significant successes in the op-
era field.13 With his departure, opera performance at the Maribor theatre
came to an almost complete stop and would not revive to a similar level as
before Mitrović’s departure until after the Second World War. One of the
main reasons for the crisis at that time, apart from the dwindling audience
interest in opera, was the reduction of the subsidy provided to the Mari-
bor theatre by the state that began in 1928. As a result, the theatre found
itself sinking ever further into debt.14 It found a way to resolve its uncer-
tain financial situation with even more frequent performances of operettas,
which were increasingly popular among the Maribor music-loving audi-
ence, as may be clearly seen from Graph 1. The percentage ratio of operetta
premieres to operas increased considerably after 1928. From this time on-
wards, until the start of the Second World War, there were some theatrical
13 Manica Špendal, “Začetki slovenskega opernega udejstvovanja v Mariboru,” Časopis
za zgodovino in narodopisje 54, no. 1–2 (1983): 200.
14 Ibid., 199.
327
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
OPERETTA % OPERA %
Graph 1: Percentage ratio of operetta premieres to opera premieres at the National Theatre
in Maribor by individual seasons between the wars.
The lack of interest in operas and symphonic concerts, combined with
the increasing financial difficulties, led Andro Mitrović to leave the Mari-
bor theatre at the end of the 1927/28 season. Along with Ferdo Herzog, Mi-
trović was one of the most important Maribor conductors and managers
between the wars. It was during his reign at the head of the institution, that
the Maribor theatre achieved its first more significant successes in the op-
era field.13 With his departure, opera performance at the Maribor theatre
came to an almost complete stop and would not revive to a similar level as
before Mitrović’s departure until after the Second World War. One of the
main reasons for the crisis at that time, apart from the dwindling audience
interest in opera, was the reduction of the subsidy provided to the Mari-
bor theatre by the state that began in 1928. As a result, the theatre found
itself sinking ever further into debt.14 It found a way to resolve its uncer-
tain financial situation with even more frequent performances of operettas,
which were increasingly popular among the Maribor music-loving audi-
ence, as may be clearly seen from Graph 1. The percentage ratio of operetta
premieres to operas increased considerably after 1928. From this time on-
wards, until the start of the Second World War, there were some theatrical
13 Manica Špendal, “Začetki slovenskega opernega udejstvovanja v Mariboru,” Časopis
za zgodovino in narodopisje 54, no. 1–2 (1983): 200.
14 Ibid., 199.
327
