February 8th is, in Slovenia, the "Dan slovenske kulture" or "Slovenski kulturni praznik": the Slovenian Cultural Day. Very few countries can say they have a national holiday dedicated to culture. But it is not a surprise that Slovenia has it, since this country has a very special relation with culture (as a group of artistic manifestations and of intellectual development). Statistics prove it: the Slovenes read many books (bought or borrowed at libraries), they often watch theatre plays, they participate, either as professional or as amateurs in cultural activities and, above all, they value their cultural and historical heritage very much.
February 8th was chosen to celebrate this national passion because it's the day when the greatest Slovenian poet, France Prešeren, died. But Slovenian art, and literature in particular, has consecrated many other names (or was it the opposite?).
[Literature]
[Fine Arts and Architecture]
[Cinema, Theatre and Ballet]
[Music]
[Science]
Literature
Slovenian literature has its most important and productive branch in poetry, and its "father" is the leader of the Protestant movement and founder of Theology in Slovenia, Primož Trubar (1508-1586), author of the first books in the Slovenian language ("Katekizem" e "Abecednik"), who is now depicted in the 10 tolars banknote. Also in the 16th Jurij Dalmatin (1547-1589) translated the Bible to Slovene and Adam Bohoric (1520-1598) wrote the first grammar of the Slovenian language.
In the 18th century, after a period of stagnation, Slovenian literature re-emerged with Anton Tomaž Linhart (1756-1795), who wrote the first theater plays in Slovene, and Valentin Vodnik (1758-1819), a catholic priest who stood out from the rest because of his (not only religious) poetry which was decisively influenced by the Enlightenment.
The 19th century brought Romanticism, which most representative poet was no less than France Preseren. Born in Vrba (near Bled) in 1800, when Slovenia belonged to the Austro-Hungarian empire, he wasn't 10 years old yet when napoleonic troops invaded the region, creating the Illyrian provinces for a few years. Later, when Slovenia was again under Austro-Hungary, Preseren went to Vienna to study Law and then came back to Slovenia, where he was never able to open an office until two years before his death (in 1849). Meanwhile, he had three illegitimate children with Ana Jelovsek but lived a great năo correspondida passion for Julija Primic, a middle class lady whose parents thought Preseren wasn't good enough for her. A great part of Preseren's work is dedicated to her love for Julija and to the desire for his country's freedom, manifestating his strong nationalist conscience which he tried to infuse into other people. His poem "Zdravljica" ('The Toast') was later adopted has the national anthem of independent Slovenia. Represented on the 1000 tolars banknote, the most prestigious prize for achievement in the artistic field in Slovenia is named after him. France Preseren is like a national hero, although that sounds a little strange to people who, like us in Portugal (but not only us), is used to seeing as national heroes only our better sportsmen (and TV shows participants, but that's another story... :o)). It's not that in Slovenia they don't do this; they do. But Slovenia lives Preseren in an extremely intense way.
Following the timeline of Slovenian literature, we have to talk about Simon Gregorcic (1844-1906), a nationalist poet who also wrote songs ("Soci", inspired by the river Soca, is the most famous one and still today children learn it at school), and Josip Jurcic (1844-1881).
Then came Realism and Ivan Tavcar (1851-1923), in the second half of the 19th century, and then Modernism, which started with the release of Erotika, by Ivan Cankar (1876-1918), in 1899. Cankar, who is depicted on the 10000 tolars banknote, lived and studied in Viena for around 10 years and was the first professional Slovenian writer, living exclusively of his writing. He was one of the most prominent European writers in the beginning of the 20th century, with his unique style and his constant social, moral and politic analysis/criticism. No later than 1913, conscient that the union of all south slavish in one country would happen soon, Cankar foresaw the failure of that new country due to etnic and cultural differences between the peoples that would belong to it.
Born four years before Cankar, Fran Saleski Finzgar (1871-1962) became one of the greatest Slovenian playwrights. Dragotin Kette (1876-1899) and Josip Murn, both victims of a precocious death, are other important figures of Slovenian literature of that time. Also in the 1870s was born Oton Zupancic (1878-1949). Considered the greatest Slovenian poet since preseren, Zupancic lived and wrote through allmost the entire first half of the 20th century, which was an extremely rich century for Slovenia as far as literary quantity and quality is concerned. Many writes from many different styles can be mentioned, but it's impossible not to (involuntarily) leave many great 20th century Slovenian writers, poets and playwrights, since they make up an enormous list. We can start by Prezihov Voranc (Lovro Kuhar's pseudonym, 1893-1950), the main representative of the thirties social criticism in Slovenia, France Bevk (1890-1970, born and dead at the exact same day: September 17th) and the young visionary Srecko Kosovel (1904-1926), and then mention the resistance poets like Matej Bor(Vladimir Pavsic's pseudonym, 1913) and Karel Destovnik Kajuh (1922-1944), who was murdered during World War II. We must also mention Edvard Kocbek (1904-
1981), one of the greatest Slovenian poets. In the post-war and contemporary scene those who stand out are: the playwrights Dominik Smole (1929-?), Gregor Strnisa (1930-1987) and Drago Jancar (1948), the writers Vitomil Zupan (1914-1987), Andrej Hieng (1925), Evald Flisar (1945) and Andrej Blatnik (1963) and the poets Ciril Zlobec (1925), Niko Grafenauer (1940), Jure Potokar (1956), Alojz Ihan (1961) and the young Ales Steger (1973). Nine other poets must be added to this list, and these nine poets have a very special thing in common: their poems can already be read in Portuguese. They are: Brane Mozetic (1958), Svetlana Makarovic (1939), Uros Zupan (1963), Dane Zajc (1929), Boris Novak (1953), Veno Taufer (1933), Ales Debeljak (1961), Kajetan Kovic (1931) e Tomaz Salamun (1941), who is presently the most famous and acclaimed Slovenian poet.
Fine Arts and Architecture
- Fine Arts
Fine Arts are also an area in which several Slovenes have achieved wide recognition. Two painters are represented on Slovenia's banknotes: Rihard Jakopic (1869-1943), on the 100 tolars banknote, and Ivana Kobilca (1861-1926), on the 5000 tolars banknote. Jakopic, an impressionist painter who studied in Vienna, Munich and Prague, has founded the Slovenian School of Impressionist Drawing and Painting, in Ljubljana, the precursor of the Academy of Art, and was among the first members of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, founded in 1938. Ivana Kobilca, realist painter, studied in Munich and worked all over Europe, mostly in Sarajevo. Kobilca is probably the most important Slovenian women ever. Ivan Grohar (1867-1911), who devoted himself to the painting of Slovenian peasant life and landscape, is also very important in the country's fine arts history, as well as Valentin Metzinger (1699-1759), the greatest baroque painter in Slovenia, who, despite not being born in Slovenia, spent around 30 years living in Ljubljana. The same can be said about Francesco Robba (1698-1757), the greatest Slovenian sculptor. Other great sculptors in Slovenia were France Gorse (1897-1986) e Jakob Savinsek (1922-1961). Also important in Slovenian art are the contemporary painters Ivo Prancic and Ejti Stih - whose work has been exhibited in Portugal in 1999, in Belém Cultural Centre (Centro Cultural de Belém) - and the artist Marjetica Potrc, who exhibited in the Guggenheim museum, in New York. There is a group of painters which also has to be mentioned: its name is Irwin and it is, together with the band Laibach (which we'll refer to when we talk about music) and the theatre group Scipion Nasice Sisters, the founder of NSK (New Slovenian Art), which they describe as something like a state without borders, a "state of mind" which even has its own passports.
Miki Muster is the name of another Slovene with magic hands. Muster is a caricaturist (many of his cartoons are related to politics, among other motives) and author of comic strips and animation films - he's called the "Slovenian Walt Disney". His most famous characters, who are even depicted in Slovenian post stamps, are Zvitorepec ("Twisted Tail"), the fox, Trdonja ("Hardone"), the turtle and Lakotnik ("Hungryone"), the wolf. His collaboration with the famous humourist Gullermo Mordillo in the seventies resulted in 400 successful animation films. Muster is now more than 75 years old and he doesn't draw anymore, but he supervises the reprinting of his work.
Another Slovene who makes magic is Evgen Bavcar, a 55-year-old photographer and philosopher who is blind since he was 11.
- Architecture
Cinema, Theatre and Ballet
- Cinema
Today, Igor Sterk, Janez Burger, Vito Taufer and Jan Cvitkovic are among the most important names in Slovenian cinema. The last one won, for his film "Bread and Milk" ("Krhu in Mleko") - which he said he tried to make "as Slovenian as possible" - the Lion of the Future 2001, which is the best first feature film award in the prestigious Venice International Film Festival.
- Theatre
The theatre company Ana Monro stands out from the rest due to its originality: street performances, improvisation, etc: there are many special features about Ana Monro that make it a "must" when talking about Slovenian theatre. We had the chance to watch their performance in September 2001, in an event included in Porto European Cultural Capital 2001. The play was called "Picnic" and was hilarious. We have to underline the actors' effort: they learned the key-words in Portuguese... and their accent was very good! :o) It was fantastic.
A different kind of theatre which is weel established in Slovenia is puppetry. According to the Internatonal Theater Institute (a Unesco partner), there are around 170 amateur theatre groups and around 190 (!) amateur puppetry groups. In this field, Robert Waltl, young actor and puppeteer has achieved great recognition for his talent and for founding "Ljubljana Mini-Theater", a theater especially for children.
- Ballet
Music
Music is also a field in which Slovenia has a great tradition. The Philarmonic Academy ("Academia Philharmonicorum") was founded in 1701, and in the same contury changed its name to Philharmonische Gesellschaft ("Philarmonic Society"). The Philarmonic Society had several very prestigious members, like Ludwig van Beethoven, whose letter of thanks, together with a transcript of the score for the Pastoral Symphony is now in the National Library in Ljubljana. In 1908 the Philarmonic Society became Slovenian Philarmonic (Slovenska Filharmonija), and still today it has that name. In September 2001 the 300th birthday of its precursor, the Philarmonic Academy. Nowadays, there are in Slovenia two opera houses, five professional orchestras and several world famous choirs.
Thrughout the centuries Slovenia has been the craddle of many extraordinarily talented musicians, who are remembered still today. We have to start by Jacobus Gallus (1550-1591), the greatest Slovenian composer ever and one of the best European composers of his time, who is depicted in the 200 tolars banknote, however, it is also important to talk about Giuseppe Tartini (1692 - 1770), who was born in Piran although it was part of Italy at that time, and the brothers Benjamin (1839-1908) and Josic Ipavec (1873-1921). But the 20th century was undoubtedly that in which most Slovenian great composers lived and worked. Marij Kogoj (1892-1956), Slavko Osterc (1895-1941), Karol Pahor (1896-1974), were born in the late 19th century; in the 20th century were born Lucijan Marija Skerjanc (1900-1973), Blaz Arnic (1901-1970) e Marjan Kozina (1907-1966) Primoz Ramovs (1921-98/99), Vinko Globokar, (b1934 - nascido em França, filho de emigrantes Eslovenos), Jani Golob (b1948), Aldo Kumar (1954), Uros Rojko (1954), Tomaz Svete (b1956), Brina Jez-Brezavscek (b1957) e Marko Mihevc (b1957).
As for performers, the Trio Lorenz brothers Matija (violoncellist, born in 1938), Primoz (pianist, born in 1942) and Tomaz (violinist, born in 1944), are, along with the flutist Irena Grafenauer and two pianists, Dubravka Tomsice and the young Bojan Gorisek (b. 1962), the most successful Slovenes. We must also mention the three great opera singers born in Slovenia: the tenor Josip Gostic (1900-1963), and the contemporary Irena Baar (soprano), Marjana Lipovsek (mezzo-soprano) and Marcos Fink (bass-baritone, born in Argentina to Slovenian parents).
Now leaving classical music and opera, there are many other great Slovenian musicians.
Starting by folk music, Ansamber Bratov Avsenik (Avsenik Brothers) is the name of a really famous band, and there are many other folk singers and bands in Slovenia, each having its own style, like the band Slaki and the singer Niko Zajc, for example.
Laibach, which means "Ljubljana" in German, is also the name of the Slovenian band who achieved the greatest recognition abroad. Their music, which is full of political ideology, has been classified as many different styles, but is probably closest to techno-industrial. As we said before, Laibach belong to the group of artists Neue Slowenische Kunst.
Moving on to another style, there are three great singers in Slovenia which we have to start by: Vlado Kreslin, Pero Lovsin e Zoran Predin. They all started their careers in bands which were and still are legends of Slovenian rock:
(Martin Krpan, Pankrti e Lacni Franz, respectively), and have also taken part in other bands. Recently, they joined in a project whose highlight is "Slovenija Gre Naprej", a supporting and congratulating song dedicated to the Football National Team for qualifying for Euro2000.
There are other important people in contemporary Slovenian music representing many different styles, but they haven't achieved international success so far. Big Foot Mama and Siddharta are the most famous rock bands, and you have to mention Kingston if you talk about the ska scene. As for jazz, Primoz Grasic is a living legend, while Mojo Hand is a band I like very much, but I don't actually know if it is famous or not.
Science
Finally, the homage to a few men who, throughout time, gave their contribution to the development of science in Slovenia and the World in several different fields of knowledge. Brilliant minds whose name is written in History. In chronological order, the first of the great Slovenian intellectuals was Janez Vajkard Valvasor (1641-1693): historiographer, geographer, ethnographer, cartographer, naturalist and author of the book "The Glory of the Duchy of Carniola", a real eincyclopedia about what is now Slovenian territory (which at the time belonged to Austria), who is depicted in the 20 tolars banknote; then comes Sigismundus Zois (1747-1819), Baron of Edelstein - an Italian of Slovenian origin also known as Ziga Zois. He was an economist and scientist who influenced the writing of several authors (like Anton Tomaz Linhart and Valentin Vodnik, for example).
Only 7 years after Zois the greatest Slovenian mathematician was born: Jurij Vega (1754-1802), an expert on logarithms who is represented in the 50 tolars banknote and there is an important national prize for young mathematicians with his name. Among other achievements, Vega calculated p to 140 decimal places, a record that was only beaten 48 years later.
Also in the 18th century two great linguists were born: Jernej Kopitar (1780-1844) and Friderik Irenej Baraga (1797 - 1868), who was also a missionary and an ethnologist, and also Matija Cop (1797-1835), a personal friend of France Preseren who was not only a writer, philologist and historian but above all an expert in literature (he read books in several languages, including Portuguese).
In 1800 was born a man who wold become an extremely important person in Slovenia. the only beatified Slovene. His name is Anton Martin Slomsek (1800-1862) and he was the bishop of Lavant, near Maribor but outside the Slovenian ethnic territory. Writer, poet and educator, he devoted his life to the education of hi people, which he thought should be a quality education based on religion and nationalism. He organized schools and he wrote excellent school books himself, of which "Blaze and Nezica in Sunday School" ("Blaze in Nezica v nedeljski Soli") was the most popular school book in Slovenia for a long time. Transferred the seat of his diocese to Maribor in 1859 was one of his greatest deeds, and it was very important to the affirmation of the Slovenian national identity. In 1996, during his visit to Maribor, Pope John Paul II beatified Bishop Anton Martin Slomsek, whose mortal remains are in the Cathedral of Maribor.
In the 19th century were born several famous scientists and intellectuals, like: the linguist Franc Miklosic (1813 - 1891); the lawyer, geographer and politician Peter Kozler (1824 - 1879); the physicist Jozef Stefan (1835-1893); the linguist and religious writer Father Stanislav Skrabec (1844-1918); Friderik Pregl (1869 - 1930), the only Slovene to win a Nobel Prize, who founded the quantitative organic microanalysis; the world famous mathematician Josip Plemelj (1873 - 1967), who in 1906 solved Rieman´s problem of differential equations, which many thought impossible; Baron Anton Codelli (1875 - 1954), pioneer in the introduction of long-range radio links and the inventor of a television system patented in 1928; an electrical engineer and leading expert on the transmission of electrical power and on transformers, and excellent chess player (there are several chess clubs, in Slovenia and abroad, named after him) Milan Vidmar (1885-1962), the astronaut Herman Potocnik (born in a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire which now belongs to Croatia but of Slovenian origin), the journalist and writer Louis Adamic (1898 - 1951), which later , and the surgeon Bozidar Lavric (1899 - 1961).
In the present day there are also a few Slovenes who stand out from the crowd for their brilliant mind and scientific achievements, like the physician and designer Andrej Detela, the environmental physiologist Igor Mekjavic, the biologist Ugo Fonda, the geomanticist and philosopher Marko Pogacnik (who created the Slovenian coat of arms), othe physician and chemist Milan Hodoscek (who, among other important deeds, built with his team a model to simulate chemical reactions using 32 personal computers), and the philosofer and psychoanalyst Slavoj Zizek.
