Inštitucionálne peripetie slovenského profesionálneho divadla po roku 1989
Institutional ups and downs of Slovak professional theatre after 1989

Summary/Abstract: In his study, the author examines changes in the organizational and economic background of professional theatre production in the Slovak Republic after the late eighties of the 20th century. The socialist regime fully centralized theatrical activities and only Ministry of Culture could approve establishment of new theatre scene. The first step after the social changes in 1989 was replacement of theatre executives active during the previous period and as a result a variety of specialized ensembles began to emerge. After the opening of accession negotiations with the European Union in 1995, the Ministry of Culture under European recommendations implemented the project of decentralization of cultural institutions. The Ministry of Culture established three institutions as the core network guaranteeing general access for financially demanding arts of opera, ballet and musical drama throughout the national territory (Slovak National Theatre, Central-Slovak State Theatre, Eastern-Slovak State Theatre). Other theatres were delimited directly within the scope of the regional administration or functioning as part of the regional cultural centers. Nearly 40 of such centers managed the activities of regional libraries, galleries, museums, educational institutions and observatories and planetariums. This provoked a negative reaction from the theater professionals and the emergence of civil society movement Preserve the Culture. The Ministry of Culture has managed to push through the theatrical activities enactment, creating a legislative framework for the democratic governance of theatrical activities, but the controversies between the Ministry and the artistic community grew into open conflict. After the election, the newly elected Minister Milan Kňažko gradually set aside all transformation measures and all theatres except SND and New Scene were delimited within the scope of county councils. Due to economic reasons, however, The County Concil in Banska Bystrica refused to manage the State Opera activities and after less than two years State Theatre in Košice also became a state-subsidised organization under the Ministry of Culture. Specialized music and drama ensembles in Prešov, at the New Scene and at the Chamber Opera SND as well as the pantomime center of the world-famous Milan Sládek at Arena Theatre were closed down. In the autumn of 2003, the Minister of Finance made a first attempt to pass the almost completed new building of the Slovak National Theatre to private developer and a year later prepared a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Slovak Republic and the investors registered in the State of Delaware, who agreed to become the new proprietor under the condition of completion of the object so that in addition to a preserved opera hall, the areas intended for drama would be turned into a commercial gallery and a hotel with convention facilities would be built beside the object.

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