Under political and market pressures: The staging of operetta in interwar Belgrade

Abstract

In this paper, I will focus on the reconstruction of the history of operetta companies established in interwar Belgrade. I gave priority to those ensembles that held regular performances for a longer period of time in the late 1920s and late 1930s. Aside from making a detailed overview of several more stable operetta theatres in Belgrade at the time, including their repertoire and leading artists, the attention will also be paid to uncovering the broader context of their work. The issues of state cultural policy and the rise of competitiveness inside the local spheres of culture and entertainment will also be discussed.

Keywords

• operetta
• operetta companies
• repertoire
• artists
• belgrade
• interwar period
• cultural policy
• popular culture