Ľudovít Štúr and the Slovak theatre

On Wednesday April 22nd 2015 the Slovak community from Vojvodina had an opportunity to listen to a unique lecture about a personality Ľudovít Štúr interpreted by Juliana Beňová from the Theatre Institute from Bratislava. The Theatre Institute similarly as many other institutions of culture in Slovakia took part in the remembering of the 200th birth anniversary of the codifier of Slovak language, politician and historian Ľudovít Štúr, by researching the topics which were not researched enough.

The Theatre Institute has researched its own archives and found out very interesting results, which were presented verbally by Juliana Beňová and also with enhanced video documentation.

Many different researches has proved several times that the majority of Slovaks consider Štúr as the most meaningful personality of Slovak history. He became a legend, in many cities there are monuments dedicated to him, also many streets and literary and linguistic competitions are named by him. However no one in their research did not look at this intellectual, journalist, codifier of Slovak language and a politician from the theatrical point of view, pointed out Juliana Beňová at the beginning of the lecture.  

This lecture included two important aspects of research. In one hand the relationship with practical theatrical activity of this poet, essayist and linguist was taken into account, which can be found mostly in the newspaper called Orol tatratnský (Eagle tatratnský) where he published many news about theatrical events from Slovakia, also reviews of dramas as much as informations about the theatrical art in the monarchy. For the Šturs the theatre was one of the means which would help them to implement their own national program, edificational and ethical goals, that’s why they have dedicated appropriate place to this topic in the newspaper.

On the other hand the researcher has dedicated her work to Štur as an inspiration and initiation to make productions of new Slovak dramas. It is not well-known that he was the main character of many Slovak dramas, which where part of the Slovak professional scene. As she said: First well-known inscenation which has perked fates of Ľudovít Štúr on the stage is a play of an eminent Slovak dramatist Karol Horák (1943) this play was called „...let Your Kingdom come“ it is from the year 1996, which was played in the same year by the Theatre of Slovak national uprising in Martin, directed by Roman Polák with the subheading life, dead-sand death of prophet Ľudovít (Štúr). Subsequently other plays were inscenated, like Envoy of Zvolen (Vyslanec zvolenský DJGT Zvolen, 2003), Eagle tatranský (Orol tatranský DJGT Zvolen, 2015), the Štúrs – concert canceled (Štúrovci-koncert zrušený! SKD Martin, 2006), Your Ľudevít (Tvoj Ľudevít, Theatre LUDUS, 2012) and the newest Silver bowls, excellent vessels (Misky strieborné, nádoby výborné Studio 12, 2015).  

The lecturer has mentioned another interesting fact which is connected with Slovaks from Vojvodina. The first incenation, in which Ľudovít Štúr comes as a main character, was in year 1926 which was called by his name, and the author was a native from Vojvodina, evangelistic priest in Stará Pazova, famous dramatist Vladimír Hurban Vladimírov (1884 – 1950). The author was familiar with the life story of Ľudovít Štúr as his grand-nephew and as a grandson of Hurban, so he had enough information and maybe even documentation to process this subject. VHV has conceived his drama as an historical play in three acts (six images) and he called it Ľudovít Štúr. The historical drama Ľudovít Štúr never took place on the professional Slovak scene, only a part of it was broadcasted (November 20th 1932 from a transmitter in Turčiansky Svätý Martin, and it was prepared by members of Slovak choir) – Slovak theater artists did not even know the play, because it was printed and published in Báčsky Petrovec (as a drama story with three acts in Jozef Maliak edition in the year 1926). Confidently we can say, that the play was prepared by the amateurs from Stará Pazova (according to news from National unity – Národná jednota) and they played the first image from the act one in Belgrade in 1925 and in the year 1928 (February 2nd) within the celebration of 25th anniversary of the amateur theater in Stará Pazova. The play Ľudovít Štúr was also a part of the Slovak National celebration in Petrovec (August 9th 1926) although we don’t know which ensemble has played it – underlined Juliana Beňová during the lecture in CIVS.

The lecture has confirmed once again an exceptional cooperation between Theatre Institute from Bratislava and the Cultural Institute of Vojvodina's Slovaks which lies in the exchange of archive materials, but also the cooperation in building electronic databases about culture of Vojvodina's Slovaks. The Department of Slovak Language and Literature, of the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad also took part in organization of this event.