Narodno Pozoriste (National Theater)
Narodno Pozoriste of Sarajevo is the largest theater house in Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of the most important in South East Europe. It was opened on November 1921, and the solemn opening went to Branislav Nusic, Chief of the Art Department of the Ministry of Education at that time. Music and drama programs were carried for three nights in a row, and thus official start of the house was made.
On November 9, 1946 Sarajevska Opera (Sarajevo’s Opera) began its artistic activity, by Gala premiere of "The Bartered Bride" by Bedrich Smetana. Thus, great progress was made in developing musical culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Sarajevski Balet (Sarajevo’s Ballet) was also founded in 1946., but its first solo show, "The Harvest" by Boris Papandopulo did not take place until May 25, 1950, which was also the beginning of its real professional existence at the scene of Narodno Pozoriste.
With more than 1,600 drama, opera and ballet artists and other professionals related to the Performing Arts, up until 1996. (when 75 years of work of Narodno Pozoriste Sarajevo was celebrated), 1040 drama premieres, and 264 opera and ballet projects were performed.
Sarajevo’s Pozoriste Mladih (Youth Theater) was founded in 1977. by the merger of Pionirsko Pozoriste (Pioneer Theater) and Pozoriste Lutaka (Puppet Theater), which existed since 1950. Director of Pozoriste Mladih is Nermin Tulic.
Theater did not stop working even during the war in BiH. Many plays were performed in the theater during the war, among them "Waiting for Godot" by S. Beckett, Euripides' “Alkestis", "Bound Ibi" by A. Zaria, "Hamlet Machine" by H. Miller, "The Fairy Tale of Sarajevo" by G. Simic, "Alphabet" by F. Durakovic and others. Pozoriste mladih organized in its gallery an exhibition on April 6, 2004., titled "Theatre Under Siege", on which photographs of plays performed during the war in BiH since 1992. to 1995. were presented. Thirteen photographs from performances of Sarajevo’s Ratni Teatar (SARTR), (War Theater) Kameni Teatar 55 (Chamber Theater 55), Sarajevo’s Pozoriste Mladih, Narodno Pozoriste Sarajevo (National Theater of Sarajevo), as well as performances from international theater festival MESS were presented.
