Gianluca Marcianò has been announced as the new Chief Conductor of the Serbian National Theatre of Novi Sad. In 2021 Novi Sad will become the European Capital of Culture and Marcianò is now planning for a year of celebration with a focus on building ties internationally.
The Serbian National Theatre of Novi Sad, the oldest professional theatre in Serbia, was founded in 1861. In 1947 the theatre established an opera company that gave its first performance with the premiere of Verdi’s La Traviata when The Ensemble of the Serbian National Theatre Opera Choir first appeared in full operatic formation. In 1981, the SNT moved to its current location in Theatre Square. Novi Sad is the capital of autonomous province of Vojvodina, and the second largest city in Republic of Serbia. The city’s history stretches back 300 years and is home to 26 nationalities.
Plans for 2018 include marking the anniversaries of Gioachino Rossini and Charles Gounod. Celebrations will include a concert version of Gounod’s grand five-act opera Faust. In spring 2018, Gianluca will conduct the World Première of Pinocchio, a new ballet by Nodar Chamba.
“I am delighted to join the Serbian National Theatre as Chief Conductor as it leads up to 2021 Cultural Capital of Europe and to bring the theatre to the attention of the international stage. In this first season our aim is to prepare our company for several international collaborations. It must become a place to be and to visit, especially because of its opera house. For sure, from now on, with an Italian touch!” Gianluca Marcianò
Gianluca is also artistic director of the Al Bustan Festival in Lebanon. Founded in 1994, this major Lebanese festival is working hard to revive the cultural life of the country after 17 years of war. With 30 performances across the five weeks, the festival focuses on chamber music but also encompasses opera, orchestral and choral concerts, dance, puppetry and theatre. The concert atmosphere is generally intimate, with an average venue capacity of 450 people. Cellists feature strongly in the 2018 line-up, which features two concerts from Steven Isserlis with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra. There will also be performances of Bach’s solo cello suites by Antonio Meneses and Victor Julien-Laferrière, and a cello and piano recital from Gautier Capuçon with Jérôme Ducros. Other highlights include Ottavio Dantone conducting the Accademia Bizantina in two concerts with countertenor Andreas Scholl, and The Swingles with their Jazz Sebastian Bach programme.
Earlier this year, Gianluca Marcianò launched a new festival of music and poetry - Suoni dal Golfo - in his hometown of Lerici. The festival’s programme was inspired by the sea and by the poets who were drawn to the emerald coastline. For the first time, Villa Shelley was opened to the public for a special evening reception.
