For the ninth year in a row, Benjamin Mušinović and his team of people from the Center for Culture “People’s University” Konjic are working hard to enrich cultural events in our city. It will provide us with exceptional theatrical value through the program of this year’s Actor Festival, which has long since crossed the boundaries of the local level with its content and has expanded and become a significant part of cultural events throughout the country. Konjic audience, next to BiH actors and actresses, can also expect guests from Serbia, Croatia and the Republic of Northern Macedonia.
Diverse and quality repertoire is one of the reasons why this year would be a reason to visit more, because this festival will certainly strengthen the cultural scene, both Konjic and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This year’s Actor Festival officially starts on May 10, and on that occasion, we talked to our reader Benjamin Musinovic, director of the Center for Culture “People’s University” Konjic.
What kind of repertoire awaits theater lovers at this year’s festival, and with what play are you officially opening the doors of the festival?
This year’s repertoire brings nine official contents, performances that are different in their genres, poetics, artistically and aesthetically specific in expression, and of course in the director’s approach and dramaturgical design. We open the festival with the play “Nothing must not surprise us”, a co-production of the Youth Theater and the MESS Stage, directed by Ales Kurt.
The festival will last until June 15 with the following plays: “Schindler’s Elevator” directed by Kokan Mladenovic, Chamber Theater 55; a comedy by the Lectirum Zagreb Theater, an examination play “Mother Courage and Her Children” based on a text by Bartold Brecht of the Sarajevo Academy of Performing Arts & Open Stages Obala; “Bresan’s Hamlet in the village of Mrdusa donja”, Tuzla National Theater, directed by Mustafa Nadarevic; co-production of the Croatian National Theater in Mostar, the National Theater Mostar and the Studio for Performing Arts Mostar with the play “Identitluk” based on the collection of essays “In the Name of Identity”, Amin Malouf.
For the first time, a large ensemble of the Knjazevsko-Serbian Theater from Kragujevac is with us, and it brings us Gogol’s “Auditor”. This year we will host the author’s project of actor Aleksandar Ristanovic, a graduate of acting at the Academy of the University of Banja Luka, who will show the strength of acting expression and fascination of acting transformation with his monodrama “Courthouse”, where we will see four characters in one. National Theater and Sarajevo War Theater (SARTR) with the play “There will be no end of the world”, according to the text of our great playwright Adnan Lugonjic, directed by Nina Nikolikj.
During the festival, in addition to the aforementioned performances, some additional activities await us. What are these additional activities?
We will prepare off content. Yesterday, we organized a performance at the Stone Bridge in cooperation with the EU Info Center in Bosnia and Herzegovina called “Cultural Essence”.
We will also organize a competition program for elementary school students “School Theater”, guest performance of children’s play “If the bees leave us”, directed by Zijah Sokolovic, co-produced by the Sarajevo Youth Theater and the Center for Cultural and Youth Centar, Municipality Centar Sarajevo; off program dedicated to theater creator Zlatko Djikic; the exhibition “Tunnel of Salvation” produced by the Public Institution Memorial Fund of the Sarajevo Canton and finally the music program with the already established young artist, Lamija Badzak, accompanied by a professional instrumental ensemble.
In your opinion, what is the significance of such events?
According to us who live art, the imperative of the most beautiful city on the Neretva must be in the affirmation of tourist potentials and expanding their offer, through art and culture, and we must not forget the high aesthetic value of the work we present to our fellow citizens and all other visitors to Konjic. I am proud to point out that we are the hosts of the only festival in Bosnia and Herzegovina that pays special attention to the most important actors in the drama and stage process, actresses and actors.
The festival is a special opportunity for young artists. For many, this is one of the first major performances. How important is that, both for them and for our BiH art scene?
We often neglect young people. As an audience, we ignore their commitment, which is not good. For years, Konjic has been affirming high school drama, giving significant attention to drama education among elementary school students through the “School Theater”, and an indispensable part of the repertoire of the BiH Actor Festival is hosting exams of the Academy of Performing Arts & Open Stage Obala from Sarajevo. Our goal is to encourage young students, so that in their biographies one day they can highlight the experience from the big stage of the People’s University of Konjic, as their first guest appearance, where they participated equally with the biggest names of the BiH theater and regional productions. I would like to point out that this year the audience will decide who is the best young actor and actress at the Actor Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The organization of such a project is certainly very demanding. What challenges do you face?
One of the biggest challenges of this year, as well as previous seasons, is planning the repertoire according to financial possibilities until establishing contact with productions in our country, but also in the region and our efforts to meet all technical needs, especially for large ensembles and large decor.
The success of such a story requires great support. Who provides the greatest support?
Traditionally, the Actor Festival relies on its sponsors; the company “Bosnalijek”, which has been with us from the beginning, as well as our “Igman” dd Konjic. For the past three years, we have had the support of BH Telecom, then the continuous support of the City of Konjic, line ministries of culture at the cantonal and federal level. I also emphasize cooperation with the leading theaters in Bosnia and Herzegovina and colleagues from the region, who have been witnessing our kindness, hospitality and greatest desire for Konjic to become a “theater city” for nine years.
The beauty of theatrical creativity is food for many and an escape from everyday life, and we invite you to secure your 5 BAM ticket as soon as possible at the following locations: Photo and video studio “Amadeus”, Bookstore “Pelikan” and ticket office Cinema NU Konjic.
The editorial staff of the portal wishes great success to this year’s Actor Festival, as well as a welcome to all visitors to Konjic, which in the coming period will proudly bear the name – “CITY OF THEATER”.
Source: novikonjic.ba
