THE MINISTER’S WIFEBranislav Nušić
This project is dedicated to the national principal actress Olivera Baljak, who with this performance celebrates 40 years of artistic work at the Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc
I thank songwriter Momčilo Bajagić and lyricist Dušan Kovačević for allowing me to use the song “Pada vlada” from the film The Professional in the play. I also thank Dejan Petrović for the permission to use his composition “Vrteška” in the play. These are precious gifts from the artists to Rijeka’s The Minister’s Wife. I thank the actress Vjera Mujović for her collaboration on the stage speech.
Tatjana Mandić Rigonat
The play was a balm for the soul, a happiness that only art can give a person. The people of Rijeka, the lucky ones who obtained tickets, were finally able to relax in these dark, corona-filled times, to the extent that they laughed, applauded, and brought the actors back for another curtain call and another and another. […]
The team performed an excellent show in Rijeka. […] Nušić’s play The Minister’s Wife in the Rijeka theatre was a meeting of people with people. Today and here. Can there be more? Can it be bigger?
Vedrana Rudan, Rijeka danas
And the Rijeka acting ensemble displayed all the strength of its personal talents, merging the story of the past with the present, playing with all its heart the eternal theme that we still experience today. Special mention should be made of the excellent Nikola Nedić as the scribe Pera, the striking Jasmin Mekić in the role of Čeda and the brilliantly childish Jelena Lopatić as Raka.
And for two and a half hours of play without a break, Olivera Baljak held the title role of Živka Popović firmly in her hands. Pure in Nušić’s linguistic pronunciation, simply warm and unencumbered by the difficult role played by many famous actresses before her, Olivera Baljak shone and ruled both the stage and all of us who watched her from the audience, demonstrating to us the great depths of her tremendous acting experience and her ease in shaping a woman who is dear but petty-bourgeois, burdened with dreams of power. And once she obtains it, she remains the same Živka within and the madness of dreams about the power that touched her shapes her into a monstrous creature, unaware of the limits of will. This is our reality that we saw in the flawless performance of the great Olivera Baljak and the Živka that is hers alone.
Gloria Fabijanić Jelović, HRT Radio Rijeka
The show lasts approximately 2 hours and is performed without an intermission.
