Subotica / Novi Sad, 4 March – The President of the AP Vojvodina Assembly, Mr Bálint Juhász, attended today the ceremonial opening of the new building of the National Theatre in Subotica.
Expressing his satisfaction with the opening of the National Theatre in Subotica, after the ceremony, President Juhász emphasised the great significance of the fact that said historic and cultural landmark had preserved its original exterior appearance, while the interior had been transformed into a completely new and modern space to welcome its audience.
“The process of reconstructing the National Theatre was neither easy nor simple, but now that it has been completed it will give a fresh impetus to the cultural life of both Subotica and the entire North Bačka region. With the launch of the Belgrade–Budapest high-speed railway, I expect a large number of visitors from both sides of the border who will enjoy not only this remarkable building, but also all future performances of the Subotica theatre ensemble,” President Juhász said.
The President of the Provincial Government, Ms Maja Gojković, noted that the opening of the Subotica National Theatre represented an important chapter in the history of both the city and the cultural and theatrical life of the entire country.
The Serbian Minister of Culture, Mr Nikola Selaković, stated that it was a shared responsibility of the national and provincial governments, as well as the City of Subotica, to find ways to ensure that artists from other countries perform on what he described as one of the three most contemporary theatre stages in Europe.
Following many years of reconstruction and construction works, Subotica has gained a modern theatre facility covering approximately 14,600 square meters, equipped with state-of-the-art stage technology and accompanying facilities.
The new building will provide significantly improved working conditions for the theatre ensemble, technical staff and visiting artists, as well as greater comfort for audience. The theatre nurtures dramatic production in Serbian and Hungarian, preserving the multicultural identity of Subotica and Vojvodina.
The ceremonial opening will also be marked by the first performance in the new building, scheduled for Friday, 6 March. The audience will have the opportunity to watch “The Meeting Point” (Sabirni centar), the play by Dušan Kovačević, directed by Darijan Mihajlović, symbolically marking the beginning of a new chapter in the work of this important cultural institution.
The opening of the new National Theatre building is an important step in the further development of cultural infrastructure in the AP Vojvodina and confirms the commitment of institutions to investing in the arts and preserving cultural heritage.
The ceremony was also attended by Mr Balint Pásztor, Member of Parliament, Mr Stevan Bakić, the Mayor of Subotica and representatives of national and provincial institutions.