The Season 1826/27 in the Ljubljana Theatre

Abstract

Since the economic situation of the Ljubljana Theatre after the reorganisation of its administration in 1819 instead of improving had been continually-deteriorating, the Theatre Board tried to obtain assistance from public funds. Unfortunately its request was turned down and so the theatre had to continue to depend on its own income and the support of the public. Owing to a large increase in debts and the non-payment of taxes, the government ordered the sequestration of the theatre funds. This came into effect in 1825. The theatre was being completely cut off from its modest income, the subsidy for the impresarios depended exclusively on the irregular voluntary subscriptions of the box-owners and the friends of the theatre and the generally meagre income from theatre balls and theatre-directed town balls. As a consequence of this the Board in its communication to the Provincial Praesidium suggested that they might give up the lease for an indefinite period until the money should be available. The suggestion was accepted by the Praesidium. That the public of Ljubljana should not lack theatre performances throughout the season 1826–27 the Governor Schmidburg encouraged the composer and conductor Gašpar Mašek to assemble a company of amateurs to stage dramatic and operatic works. Their repertoire included the following operas: »Le Nouveau Seigneur de Village« and »Le Dame Blanche« by Boieldieu, »Deux Mots« by N. Dalayrac, »Le Petit Matelot« by S. Gaveaux, »Die Schweizerfamilie« by Weigl, »Joconde« by N. Isouard and Weber's »Der Freischütz«. At any rate it is a unique case in the history of the Ljubljana Theatre that the amateurs who otherwise only performed a few dramatic plays provided drama for a whole season and staged even several operas. The repertoire mentioned was exacting and of high quality and testifies to their ardour and their strong determination. According to the report of Keesbacher the opera performances were also of an adequate artistic standard. Nevertheless it is clear that the amateurs were unable to attain the same level as professional actors and singers. Consequently the Theatre Board tried in spite of the sequestration of the funds to re-open the professional theatre and, to this end, it announced the re-letting of the theatre for the season 1827–28.