The organizers are satisfied: One of the best editions of the City Theater

Under Andrić's title "Something of human truth", metaphorically reminding that the essence of all art is first of all humanity and truth, but also suggesting to the audience what will be some of the main topics that will be dealt with this year in the selections of his Dramatic, Literary, Musical and Fine Arts program, after 52 days the XXVIII Grad Teatar Festival ended.

And although in its multi-decade history it has also recorded some completely brilliant moments in all segments of its programs - the participation of such world artists whose name in itself represents a cultural event, it can be said with certainty that this year's festival is also about the evaluation of the professional public , audience presence and media attention, that it is one of the best editions of the City Theater. According to Blaž Radomana, acting director of the City Theater, the XXVIII festival was successfully realized, so that this summer the festival was once again the center of cultural summer events not only in Budva, but also in Montenegro.

- I came to this position when the festival had already started, so that I could get to know the way it functions better, better and faster when it is in progress, even though the program had already been conceived and the selections had been completed. My participation in its organization is in the sense that for years the City Theater needed a director, someone who would provide money, and funds for culture are, unfortunately, decreasing, not only in Montenegro, but also in the region. This year's festival, with all the programs and all associated costs, had a budget of four hundred and fifty thousand euros, which it received from the Municipality of Budva, which is its founder. According to the competition of the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro in which it participated, the Grad Theater received another twenty thousand euros. As someone who is now engaged in managerial work at the City Theater, I want to emphasize that as soon as we wrap up this year's festival, I will begin to fight for the budget for the program part of the festival from the Municipality of Budva to be larger. I am grateful for the financial support of the Montenegrin Ministry of Culture, and due to the fact that the festival was very successful this year as well, and that, as some cultural critics even publicly assessed, it had one of its best editions, we will again apply for the City Theater to receive its place on the list of festivals of national importance, because we think it belongs to it. For almost thirty years, which is not a small jubilee, the City Theater has very seriously and ambitiously built and preserved its concept of an elitist cultural event, which is why it is recognized today in this region, but also abroad, as the biggest brand of Montenegrin culture, not to mention many years when he was also the most important bearer of the entire cultural life of Montenegro. We think that these facts, along with all those top world artists who stood in front of the City Theater audience, and the forty-eight Sterija awards he received for his theater productions, certainly recommend it to be a festival of national importance. Such a decision by the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro would help the City Theater reach some other important financiers and sponsors, as well as some competitions abroad, and we hope that they will listen and help us in this. Because we are all working together on the same task - to affirm the area of ​​Montenegro as much as possible as an important place for culture, open to all the best artistic creators, where top artistic achievements are presented - says Blažo Radoman.

What is also important for the story of this year's festival, as he points out, are the four co-productions that have been exceptionally valued by the professional public.

- Grad Teatar premiered the projects "Amadeus" by Peter Šafer, adapted and directed by Dora Ruždjak - Podolski, its co-production with HDK "Gavela" from Zagreb and Hartefakt Fund from Belgrade, "Don Juan" choreographed by Maša Kolar, co-production with Bitef Theater from Belgrade and the Rijeka Summer Nights Festival, "Cursed Courtyard" by Ivo Andrić, choreographed by Dana Rutenberg and directed by Nebojša Bradić, a co-production with the NP from Belgrade and the National Dance Foundation from Belgrade Aja Jung, and "Three Sisters" by Chekhov in the adaptation and directed by Ana Vukotić and Slobodan Milatović, co-production with the International Alternative Theater Festival - FIAT from Podgorica and JU "Zahumlje" from Nikšić. In addition to the top quality, these plays prove that the City Theater continues its mission - regional cooperation, which dates back to the nineties, when there was no communication, not even cultural, in these areas, as well as the mission of affirming Montenegrin artists and Montenegrin culture. Along with two exceptional representatives of the Montenegrin theater, such as Slobodan Milatović and Ana Vukotić, the play "Three Sisters" is played by a completely young Montenegrin team of actors who recently graduated from the Academy, and achieved great success at the festival. And in other segments of the program, from Literary, Musical, Art, almost all the best that appeared on the cultural scene of Montenegro in the previous year were presented.

Merin Smailagić, the long-time director of the City Theater, who has been acting artistic director since this summer, in addition to saying that this year's festival has proven its reputation as a cultural brand in all its segments, and not only within the framework of Montenegro, because today considered abroad as a brand from this area, emphasizes the importance of the City of Theater in another sense as well.

- This festival is a unique opportunity for certain regional productions that have left the mark of artistic seasons on their home stages to meet in one place, it is an opportunity to show the best literary works and their auteurs, to hear the most eminent musicians and see attractive and appreciated visual artists, to present the best concept of our own productions. But, those guest appearances and our production are much more significant than just information about what was the best that caused the attention or interest of the public or artistic selectors, because it is an opportunity to summarize the topics that occupied in one place, within one festival artists from the region, from Montenegro or abroad in the past season. In this sense, we showed many works in Budva, and heard many important artists who are in the focus of the local public. From, say, the currently leading directors in the region, Oliver Frljić, Dino Mustafić, Dora Ruždjak Podolski, Boris Liješević, to Vida Ognjenović, Kokan Mladenović, Nebojša Bradić, Ana Vukotić, Slobodan Milatović... Leading choreographers also worked on our stages, from the Israeli choreographer Dana Rutenberg, to Sonja Vukićević, Maša Kolar, Rosana Hribar and Gregor Luštek. The exceptional Literary Program brought to Poets' Square the world-famous philosopher Srećko Horvat, the most important Israeli writer, the poet Amir Or, the leading writer from the region Miljenko Jergović, last year's laureate of our "Stefan Mitrov Ljubiša" Award, the most outstanding Montenegrin writer Balša Brković, literary historian Žaneta Đukić Perišić , to Slobodan Slovinić, who opened this year's Poets' Square, Božena Jelušić with a lecture dedicated to the centenary of the birth of Mihail Lalić, Nikola Malović, Branka Bogavac, the young Montenegrin writer Nikola Nikolić...

Smailagić singles out exceptional virtuosos who made this year's Music Program of the City Theater, realized in cooperation with the Music Academy from Cetinje, relevant in some world contexts.

- Performers whose concerts are events in the world's great halls performed in the Church of Santa Maria, such as the violinist Jaroslav Nadrzicki, the pianist Vladimir Viardo, the cellist Aleksandar Rudin, the orchestra "Ipolitov - Ivanov", said Merin.

Soon plans and discussions for the next pre-jubilee festival

The precise statistics of the XXVIII City Theater will be published in a few days, and after that, according to Smailagić, plans and discussions for the next festival, which will also have a "pre-jubilee" feature, will begin very soon.

- The plans are very ambitious, in every segment, from Grad Theater becoming the carrier of the cultural life of Budva throughout the year, to the fact that part of the Festival Directorate may get a new, more representative space. If we compare it with the festival closest to us both in terms of concept and quality, the Dubrovnik Summer Games, its main offices are located on Stradun. On the door above the entrance is the coat of arms of Dubrovnik, and the Croatian and Dubrovnik flags are placed on the side, which immediately draws attention to how much this city and the country of Croatia hold their festival, and what reputation they give it.

Loud music is still the main enemy of the festival

According to Blaž Radoman, the criticism that can be directed at the festival is the too loud music, which usurped the playing of plays and the Literary Program on Poets' Square this summer as well.

- Despite the fact that the City Theater has excellent cooperation with the Municipal Police, the loud music from the nearby cafes was our main enemy, which is why we heard numerous complaints from the artists who were guests at the festival. The municipality of Budva, which invests money in the festival and wants it to be of the highest quality, should help us to solve this problem systematically and permanently together - so that there is music, but that it does not interfere with the performance of performances, which is the period from 22 p.m. to at the latest, midnight, when it has to be a little quieter, so that the actors on stage do not compete with the surrounding cafes - explains Blažo Radoman.