Slovenian-Czech Theatre Relations in the First Half of the 20th Century

Hasan Zahirović

Examining the cooperation and exchanges of Czech and Slovenian artists throughout the 20th century shows that the first half of the century was the most fertile. Although relations were not institutionally organised or systematically maintained, a number of collaborations took place in the areas of: performing Slovenian dramatic texts on Czech stages (Z. Kveder, A. Aškerc, F.S. Finžgar, I. Cankar, M. Mihelič Puc); exchanges of theatre artists, directors (R. Innemann) and actors (R. Nasková, L. Kaucká, J. Kreisová, N. Wintrová, O. Šest, I. Rina); and the activities of Yugoslav cultural ambassadors (Branko Gavella, Zvonimir Rogoz).

Hasan Zahirović (b. 1975 in Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina) is a theatre scholar, translator, university teacher and actor. Since 2006 he has been living and working in the Czech Republic. He earned his master’s degree in theatre studies from Masaryk University in Brno and his PhD at the Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (DAMU). He teaches at Silesian University in Opava, where he is also the head of the department for cultural dramaturgy. He regularly cooperates with the Čapek Brothers society in Prague as a designer of cultural programmes and researcher of the life and work of Karel and Josef Čapek.