Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc in Rijeka
Croatian National Theatre building in Rijeka
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| Address | Uljarska 1 Rijeka Croatia |
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| Owner |
Republic of Croatia City of Rijeka |
| Type | National theatre, opera and ballet house |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 3 October 1885 |
| Architect | Fellner & Helmer |
| Website | |
| www |
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The Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc in Rijeka (Croatian: Hrvatsko narodno kazalište Ivana pl. Zajca Rijeka), commonly referred to as HNK Zajc, is a theatre, opera and ballet house located in Rijeka.
The theater tradition in Rijeka is longer than two centuries. The first theater building in this city was erected in 1765, but at the end of the 18th century the construction of the new theater began, which opened in 1805 by renowned Rijeka citizen and trader Andrija Ljudevit Adamić. Over the next eighty years the theater life in Rijeka took place in Theater Adamić, filled mostly by performances of Italian and less by German opera and drama groups. However, in the late 19th century several European theaters struck a fire, and in all the cities of the Habsburg Monarchy began to take safety precautions, and Adamić Theatre did not meet the necessary conditions for normal operation. Rijeka municipal dealership decided to demolish the existing theater and build a brand new, modern and contemporary theater to suit Central European standards. In 1883 Rijeka city government, led by the famous mayor Giovanni Ciotti, the grandson of another legendary Ludevit Adamić, decided to raise a grand new theater building of Rijeka. It was decided that the theater will be built on what was then a vast Ürmeny square. The project was commissioned in Vienna, in a specialized studio for theater, with architects Herman Helmer and Ferdinand Fellner.
After two years of construction, the opening day of the new Municipal Theatre (Teatro Comunale) was on October 3, 1885. For this occasion, two great operas never before performed were prepared. They were Verdi's Aida and Ponchielli's Gioconda. On that day, the first visitors, numerous guests and invitees could enjoy the impressive theater building, a masterpiece of architecture of his time, whose figural plastic and ornamental work contributed by the famous Venetian sculptor August Benvenuti and ceiling paintings painter Franz Matsch in cooperation with even more famous brothers, Ernst and Gustav Klimt.
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