New Chapter for the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb

By bringing a theatre back to order, Iva Hraste Sočo completely changed the course of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb. It now operates as a perfectly tuned mechanism centred on three firstclass artistic ensembles: Drama, Opera and Ballet.
Written by: Gea Vlahović 
Photos: Matej Grgić 

Just over a year ago, on September 1, 2022, the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb got a new intendant from the world of musical theatre: the management position of the main national theatre was taken over by Iva Hraste Sočo, a university professor, award-winning opera artist, and civil servant boasting many years of diplomatic experience and ten years of employment at the Ministry of Culture and Media. Among other duties she performed at the Ministry, she was assistant to the Minister for International Cultural Cooperation and Development of Culture and Art.

All of this made her qualified and skilled enough to bring the theatre to order, one that had been torn by divisions for years on end. One thing is for certain: Iva Hraste Sočo completely changed the course of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb in but a year. It now operates as a perfectly tuned mechanism centred on three first-class artistic ensembles: Drama, Opera and Ballet.

The arrival of the new intendant also marked the first season after the coronavirus pandemic was declared over, during which the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb recorded a 94-percent attendance rate and an increase in subscribers to almost 5,000, and also continued to broaden its horizons through a repertoire based on the synergy of classical and contemporary content and the involvement of eminent international and local artists and ensembles, as well as taking a chance on rising stars. A number of special programs and collaborations has been realised, there have been numerous guest appearances, the ensembles have been extended, and the subscription model has been expanded.

All of this, combined with the Theatre’s focus on co-productions with European and other Croatian theatres, international guest appearances, and active participation in European associations such as Opera Europa, European Theatre Convention, Fedora, Operavision and others, has laid a perfect foundation for not only strengthening the role of the Theatre as one of the most important national cultural institutions, but also increasing the visibility of the central Croatian national institution in the European world of theatre.

We sat down and had a talk with Iva Hraste Sočo, PhD, interested in what she had to say about successfully overcoming challenges while maintaining a focus on excellence and preserving the long tradition of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb as the central and oldest theatrical institution in Croatia, without losing sight of its place in the modern context. On this occasion, the intendant announced the opening of the second venue of the Theatre in Adžija Street, as well as the renovation of the building on the Republic of Croatia Square.

We’re here exactly one year since you’ve been put in charge of the central Croatian national theatre. What were the first and most important decisions you made that you believe really made a difference?

The first season whizzed by: there were so many things I had to take care of – from the unexpected shift in the management of the accounting unit to public procurement, where the top position was vacant. There were many similar “backstage” processes that might not be visible at surface level but are nonetheless extremely important for the smooth operation of a theatre of this size. Of the many decisions I made over the past year, be they managerial or artistic in nature, I believe that the constant dialogue with the employees – both the artists and the administration and technicians – as well as listening to their needs and suggestions resulted in a working atmosphere in which ensembles and employees can truly devote themselves to their work and strive for excellence.

It seems that we have managed to get rid of unnecessary tension and bring the Theatre’s focus back on the artistic interests of the audience and the public as a whole.

Before you took over, the previous intendant was practically synonymous with the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, and vice versa. One cannot help but notice that things have changed now…

I’m glad you noticed; I really did my best to change that. From the beginning of my mandate, I have emphasised the importance of artists and their achievements, as well as the long history of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb – I mean, we’re on the brink of our 163rd season! It’s up to the intendant and their closest associates to ensure that theatre’s employees can work smoothly, because that is when their talents and achievements can best come to light.

I’m quite sure that the audience isn’t interested in the persona of the intendant, but rather in the plays they put on, and I’ll bear that in mind as long as I perform this duty.

What’s the most important thing for the seamless operation of such an important cultural institution? Is it the vision, internal organisation, artistic ensembles, repertoire, or perhaps the relationship with the audience?

Well, when there’s synergy between all the factors you listed, it can be said that the central national theatrical institution truly fulfils its mission, both with regard to its cultural and social aspects. We see a burgeoning interest in our programs in the 94-percent attendance rate and an increase of almost 5,000 subscribers, but also the eagerness of sponsors to work with the Theatre.

On top of that, a considerable number of reputable institutions and organisations want to celebrate their anniversaries and hold events right here in our theatre, which is great for our social standing, as well as our income.

You’ve presented quite impressive attendance and subscription figures for the season of 2022/2023. What do these figures tell us? To what extent could things get even better?

We’re happy that the audience clearly recognised what we’re striving for with our repertoire and our brilliant performers. All three of our artistic ensembles are composed of splendid individuals, from our actors, through the choir and orchestra, all the way to the opera soloists – who were joined by five new ones at the beginning of the last season – and the Ballet, which is at the point of generational renewal, as some of our dancers have the opportunity to go to well-deserved retirement, and young dancers are joining the ensemble. 

One of our goals for the upcoming period will undoubtedly be to concentrate on audience development as it is necessary to draw more young people to the theatre. But I must confess that during the last season, I was pleasantly surprised by the relatively considerable number of young people at some of our reruns. The Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, like most European theatres, is making every effort to appeal to young people by creating special programs and subscriptions, so that they attend our performances in even greater numbers and the audience becomes diversified.

Considering the number of ballet performers who auditioned in March, one might say that your Ballet section is a very competitive employer!

Absolutely! 1,200 ballet dancers auditioned to join our ensemble. That’s a total of 1,200 recordings that the Ballet director and ballet masters had to watch in order to shortlist the dancers, a process that took three days here in Zagreb. It was a Herculean task, but it also served as proof that the Zagreb Ballet peaks interest worldwide.

There were applicants from all over the world – Europe, Australia, America, and Asia. Not a single corner of the world remained indifferent toward our Ballet, which indicates great interest and reputation that the Zagreb Ballet enjoys. What’s important to us is preserving the Croatian corpus within the ensemble, and when we saw that out of 1,200 dancers only six Croats signed up, we knew it would be very challenging.

How big of an impact can the long-awaited second venue have on the plans for the future? How far along is that project and when might we expect the first shows in Adžija Street?

People passing by on the street can’t even imagine how much work is going on behind that iron fence. The structural renovation, which was subsidised by the EU Solidarity Fund, is complete, and the contracted works will go on until the end of the year. Construction of the second venue should start by the end of this year or the beginning of 2024. We have yet to hold the tender, but we expect that the venue in Adžija Street will be open for business by the start of season 2024/2025, which will truly be a historic moment.

We’ll get a new stage the same size as the one in the big building, but with a smaller auditorium, and we’ll be able to put on plays and hold rehearsals there.

The renovation of the building on the Republic of Croatia Square is also in store… Surely that will be challenging?

That’s right. The building hasn’t been renovated in full since 1969, and it’s high time for an extensive renovation. The Solidarity Fund is subsidising all necessary documentation for the restoration, such as the conservation-restoration study, spatial analysis, superstructure investigative work and feasibility study of the stage equipment apparatus, so that we can work on the planning and execution of the renovation work at the main building alongside the construction of the second venue in Adžija Street.

The general plan is to fully commit to the major renovation once the second stage is completed, so that we may have a performance space available while the main stage is being renovated – after all, the show must go on…

The Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb is the central and oldest theatrical institution in Croatia, with a history rich in milestones for Croatian culture ranging from the premieres of previously unappreciated plays by Miroslav Krleža to the premiere of Ero s onoga svijeta by Jakov Gotovac. Can such milestones still come to pass in this day and age? How does the Theatre “rank” on the scale of its own history at the moment?

Nowadays, as the principal national theatre, the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb fosters a diverse program, including plays by local authors as well as shows from the classical, modern, and contemporary world repertoire. We are aware that the organisational structure of our Theatre, which consists of three large ensembles, falls into the category of repertory theatres, whose daily work is to perpetually plan and produce shows with an air of allure.

The repertoire of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb consists of staging of works that make up the canon of world and national literature and musical heritage – from Classical Antiquity to the 20th century – which have been transposed to this age through current stage readings as well as the presentation of contemporary works.

As for repertory milestones, as you call it, last season we also presented the audience with new works in all three artistic domains, for example the Lennon opera, the contemporary Croatian drama Plodna voda, new choreographies in ballet art such as Spartacus or Večer tri baleta.

We will continue in the same repertoire direction in the following seasons, in which we will strive to enrich the contemporary artistic expression. We believe that, in addition to staging new premieres, reruns and special programs for existing and new audiences, it is necessary to further strengthen the international standing of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, particularly in terms of artistic excellence and recognition.

However, on the national level, the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb is undeniably a brand: our guest performances in other places consistently draw large crowds since our theatre guarantees performance quality, and we will continue to tap into our potential in this manner.

I’d argue that – taking all of the above into account – the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb as it is today is on the line of a contemporary theatre, aspiring to become a cultural institution that is broader than genre. How do you reconcile the desire to break away from traditionalism and hermeticism with the responsibility of the national theatre towards the classics, towards (its own) history? Have you found the recipe for success in that area yet?

It is precisely the innovative approach and contemporary readings of world and Croatian classics that generate the impression of modernity in classical literature. This applies to both theatre and opera productions, especially from the perspective of a director. When it comes to the ballet program, we also rely on authors who create contemporary ballet pieces based on canonical literature, such as, for example, this season’s Hamlet, which will be choreographed by Leo Mujić.

Looking back on last season, could you say there were any bad decisions made in terms of the repertoire?

We had fifteen premieres in total and it’s understandable that not all of them were equally successful. The future development of the theatre is in the hands of our three ensembles, which are more than capable, and the repertoire for seasons to come will also be selected with them in mind. We had some big hits last season, according to both the critics and the audience, such as Peer Gynt, Nabucco, Šišmiš, Don Juan… We were virtually always sold out, which just goes to show that the audience was very satisfied with our program, often asking for extra tickets for the shows.

But let’s circle back to your question – the theatre has both an educational and an enlightening role, so the focus on artistic exploration and questioning of certain social phenomena, even though they might hit a nerve more often than not, is actually inherent in the art of theatre. I can say that I’m overall very pleased with how the previous season went, and I would like to thank all of the artists and employees of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb for their contribution. 

How do you think this season builds on the previous one – have you decided to take some bigger steps forward? What important novelties have you introduced?

It’s important for us to continue enabling the interaction of our ensembles with world-class artists. To this end, foreign choreographers such as McGregor and Clug will work at the Theatre side by side with our chief conductor Pier Giorgio Morandi and director Mario Pontiggia. We are proud to announce guest performances by the renowned baritone Željko Lučić, tenor Stefan Popp, Matteo Lippi, and others.

Sure enough, the Theatre’s repertoire will also include Croatian artists, such as Maša Kolar, Dora Ruždjak Podolski, Marina Pejnović, Ivan Plazibat and others. Together with maestro Morandi, the Opera’s management will continue to work on the renewal of the ensemble, both when it comes to soloists and the Orchestra and Choir.

Following the tremendous success of the previous season, Ballet section director Massimiliano Volpini has the gargantuan task of establishing a balance between the existing ensemble and new dancers.

The upcoming season’s drama program will stay on the trail of this year’s model –Program Director Nenni Delmestre proposed we stage one Croatian and one world classic, as well as two contemporary plays along the same lines, plus two experimental pieces that we’ll show at Tonska dvorana. We will definitely start paying more attention to Croatian directors. Also, when it comes to casting, the Program Director has taken almost every member of the Drama ensemble into consideration.

Is it possible to put on an excellent show which doesn’t cost a pretty penny?

Depends on the artistic discipline. Due to the nature of theatrical production, it’s possible to stage an excellent play without major financial investments, whereas opera and ballet require a large number of performers – which involves paying for many costumes – so it’s not so easy. The Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, on the other hand, is on a mission to stage big ensemble shows with many performers, which comes at a literal cost. Production expenses could also be reduced through the co-production model, which we will continue to implement in the coming season. 

Since our theatre is publicly subsidised, it’s crucial to strike a balance between state and city funding and sponsorships that allow us to showcase world-class performers. We consider it important not only for the sake of our audience, but also for the ensembles that breathe life into our repertoire and artistic vision.

First and foremost, you’re an opera artist with an extensive stage experience. Can you recall your first encounter with the National Theatre? Back then, you probably couldn’t even imagine that one day you’d be its intendant…

Of course, it didn’t even occur to me at the time – I was preoccupied with my career in opera. However, looking back, it was an invaluable experience that has served me well in my current position.

What was your favourite role; which one did you enjoy the most?

I mostly did soprano roles, 27 in total, ranging from Adina in G. Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, Susanne in The Marriage of Figaro and Fiordiliga in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte to Mimi in La Boheme, but also some more demanding roles of the Wagnerian repertoire in Die Walküre and The Rhine Gold. I also had many concerts. Each role brought me a fresh experience that led to the next, so I really enjoyed singing.

Nonetheless, at the age of 37 and at the peak of your career, you decided to pursue a completely new path: diplomacy. How do you perceive your decision today? Have you ever regretted not pursuing singing anymore?

Since I began my professional career at a young age – I made my debut at the age of 19 and joined the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb as a student at the age of 21 – I can say that over those fifteen years of intensive practice in opera, I attained my full potential as an artist. Career changes are not as common in Croatia as they are in Western Europe and the US in particular. I had always dabbled in more things at once: in parallel with the Music Academy, I also studied Yugoslavistics, so changing my career path was not that weird for me.

I have never regretted my decision since I believe that the experiences I gained through diplomatic engagements, PhD studies and academic career helped broaden my horizons and expand my interests. At the end of the day, I have always worked in the cultural field, which really is very broad.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to share some of my life experiences with my students at the University of Zagreb’s Music Academy and the Academy of Dramatic Arts, and I hope it helps them in their professional endeavours.

You were born into a respectable family of intellectuals and academics. To what extent did that shape you?

It certainly had an effect on me and my desired standard of living. Throughout my life, my family has always been a source of inspiration and support for me. In addition to encouraging my passion to succeed in everything I did, my family also instilled me with a strong work ethic and taught me the value of discipline as a precondition for success.

You worked at the Ministry of Culture for ten years so you had the opportunity to be on both sides of the “table”. Is there enough room for culture in Croatian politics, in your opinion? Do you believe there is a better model than the existing one based on your experience as an artist, a civil servant and government official, a university professor, and now as the intendant of the largest Croatian theatre?

Cultural policy is always part of the public policies of a country. This holds true for Croatia as well: the goal of cultural policy is to create an atmosphere in which artists can work to their full potential, allowing the culture of the entire country to advance within the global framework. There’s visible progress when we take a look at the budget of the Ministry of Culture and the percentage allocated to the cultural sector. I think it’s important to hold up to a model that involves not only transparency in decision-making, but also the participation of many stakeholders in the cultural sector in the process.

As an opera singer, diplomat, and official at the Ministry of Culture, you had the opportunity to travel the world and interact with people from other cultures. Which one made the biggest impression on you?

Each culture I encountered enriched my way of thinking, broadened my horizons, and inspired my work not just at the time, but also for years to come. However, I’d say that perhaps the one that stood out the most was Austrian culture and the modalities of its positioning within the global framework.

Austria is not a big country, but it acquired renown for its cultural and artistic achievements, thus becoming a proper cultural brand. Austrians view themselves and their country as a nation of culture, which, of course, has worldwide implications. It was precisely my time in the Austrian cultural environment during my diplomatic mandate as People and Culture Advisor at the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Vienna that inspired me to enrol in doctoral studies, which resulted in my dissertation and book titled Hrvatska – nacija kulture[1], because I believe that Croatia, too, has vast potential and prerequisites for becoming a proper cultural brand.

You’ve actively worked on international profile raising of Croatian culture for years. As a consequence of European integration and globalisation, national cultures have lost some control over their narratives by adopting and integrating so-called immigrant cultures.

What do you think Croatian culture will come to be in the future in such an environment? Do you perceive this as an opportunity or a threat?

Every national identity, particularly its cultural segment, is prone to change as a result of changes in cultural, political, and economic factors. I see it as an opportunity because this process allows for the enhancement and expansion of cultural identity.

How do you think about the future in general? Where do you see yourself in five or ten years?

I will certainly continue my university career, which I haven’t lost sight of even now, during my mandate as an intendant. Working with students is, in fact, a two-way street – as teachers, we pass on our knowledge to them, and they, in turn, offer a fresh perspective of the world, which is especially important in the artistic realm.

As for other professional challenges, I never plan too far in advance. I think it’s important to be open to new opportunities and to give them a shot, so that we can become better as individuals, but also try and make a difference in society.

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