ETC members - Information
Montenegrin National Theatre
Address:City: Podgorica
Postal code:
Country: Montenegro
Phone: +382 20 664 085
Fax: +382 20 664 082
Email: cnpdirektor@t-com.me
Website: www.cmp.me
1. Status
Montenegrin National Theatre has the status of a public institution of special interest for the Republic of Montenegro. The founder of the theatre is Montenegrin Parliament. Montenegrin National Theatre is funded directly from the budget of the Republic of Montenegro (with alimentary status). The theatre is run by the Theatre Council, Director and Artistic Director, while the day to day work is organised in five departments: Arts Department, Department of Stage and Technical Production, Maintenance, General Affairs Department and Marketing Department.
Montenegrin National theatre is the most important institution of culture in Podgorica, fulfilling several purposes and offering a variety of programs. With its institutional profile and the programming, the Montenegrin National Theatre is recognisable not only on the cultural map of Podgorica and Montenegro, but also in the region and internationally. The insistence on high quality programs and production values, as well as the specific programming, Montenegrin National Theatre’s uniqueness is recogniable beyong local and regional level.
2. Mission
The mission of the Montenegrin National Theatre is promotion, production and staging of drama from Montenegrin and world’s cultural heritage, with special interest for contemporary drama, as well as other musical and performing arts pieces of special artistic value.
3. Repertory policy
The repertory and programming are based upon openness towards new tendencies in the theatre, oportunities for different artists and fulfilling needs of different audiences, guided by the recognition of the need for international participation, while ensuring that local needs and interests are represented and that they are in keeping with the ethos of the theatre itself.
The time from the opening of the new theatre building in 1997, the long-standing director prof. Branislav Mi?unovi? described in this way:
“The theatre is not simply a chronicle made for those who will come after – rather we communicate with our contemporaries. I see repertory as a running commentary to the times and surroundings; it is either a charged reaction or anticipation of events in theatre-specific way.”
The programming structure of the Montenegrin National Theatre:
The period between 1997 when the new building was opened and 2007 was a time of revival and progress for the theatre, with over 40 new productions. Several new festivals were launched (European Theatre Projects, Festival of National Theatres, New European Theatre Action, Festival of Montenegrin Theatre and music festival A Tempo). The activities of Montenegrin National Theatre at this time were part of the process of the opening of Montenegro to the world in a new way. The theatre worked as an animator and ambassador of culture, as a hub of cultural events and promoter of current trends in international theatre.
In the ten-year period the projects of the Montenegrin National Theatre were seen by almost a million viewers, in Montenegro and internationally at festivals and guest performances in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Italy, Albania, Germany, Bulgaria, Turkey and Columbia. Montenegrin National Theatre has signed protocols of collaboration with all national theatres from ex Yugoslavia. In addition to drama, the music segment included over 200 programmes and seven A Tempo festivals. This period saw start of new publishing production, releasing around 40 titles as well as cinema programme (entitled Art Cinema) with 15 thematic seasons. The projects and artists of Montenegrin National Theatre received over 60 state, professional and festival awards.
