A must-see spectacle in Split!
The premiere of Ivo Tijardović’s operetta Queen of the Ball will be held on June 30, 2017, at Poljud stadium for the first time in 91 years! Two revivals of the performance will be held on July 1st and 2nd. All performances will begin at 21:00, reports Hajduk.hr on June 8, 2017.
How did it all begin?
The success of Hajduk in 1926 prompted the then young Split composer Ivo Tijardović to compose the song ''To nje ni knedla'' - a hit not only in Split but Dalmatia and the country as well. Because 1926 would also celebrate the 15th anniversary of the foundation of Hajduk, brothers Fabjan and Luka Kaliterna influenced Tijardovic to write and compose Queen of the Ball, an operetta inspired by sports.
The premiere of Queen of the Ball was held at Stari Pac on August 21, 1926, on a makeshift stage with lavish decorations and luxurious lighting - a rare opportunity for that time. The operetta included over one hundred performers who were put before an audience of three thousand spectators. From August 21 to September 21, 1926, Queen of the Ball was performed six times at Stari Plac, and on December 14, 1926, at the Croatian National Theatre in Split.
The libretto takes viewers into the realm of sports - which is quite unusual for the contents of an operetta - making the show, above all, completely original.
Queen of the Ball has enrolled HNK Hajduk on the list of the few sports clubs not only in Croatia but also in the world, that are dedicated to music and the arts.
Only 1,800 eager and lucky attendees will be able to catch the show at Poljud this year, leaving just 600 tickets per performance. The event will be intimate, theatrical, and an authentic opera performance each viewer will wholly enjoy. The show will involve one hundred performers between the orchestra, choir, and soloists.
As of June 25th, the premiere performance has officially sold out, while some tickets are still available for July 1st and 2nd. More information can be found here.
The operetta is directed by Jelena Bosančić and conducted by Hari Zlodre. The project is being led by the Student Union Art Academy in Split and is supported by the University of Split, Arts Academy, Croatian National Theater and HNK Hajduk.
