The Narodni dom Maribor cultural and events centre is located in a restored nineteenth-century building that has been listed as a cultural heritage monument. Situated in the heart of Maribor, the National Hall provides a broad array of cultural events, including concerts, festivals, music series and theatre and dance performances.
The Narodni dom building is steeped in colourful history. Built in 1898, it was designed by Czech architect Jan Vejrich. The establishment of the National Hall was induced by the spirit of the time, which also determined its typical architectural style. In the second half of the 19th century, trends in Slovenia mirrored those in Bohemia, resulting in an upsurge of national halls and reading rooms. Maribor Narodni dom followed the example of similar institutions established in Novo mesto, Celje and Ljubljana. At the turn of the 19th century, these cultural centres provided platforms for Slovenian national consciousness and, consequently, national economic, political and cultural life. An event of historic interest is a discovery in 1993, when a plaque bearing a dedication to the Yugoslav army was removed from a wall in the foyer. The dedication was inscribed on the back of the original memorial plaque. The removal of the plaque revealed the original Slovenian text from the opening of Narodni dom Maribor, together with the names of the people who had contributed to building the venue.
Today, Narodni dom offers a variegated selection of music events spanning a wide gamut of genres, from classical and electronic music to jazz and folk. The cultural programme also includes diverse performing arts, such as plays, comedies, children’s theatre and dance performances. As an organiser, promoter and producer, Narodni dom annually features up to 1200 cultural events. Catering for classical music audiences, the National Hall offers an orchestra and chamber series, a young people’s series and co-productions with the Festival Maribor classical music festival. It organises a summer international attraction, Festival Lent, and presents ethnic music and dance during the International Folkart Festival. Each year, Narodni dom organises an evening concert at the Maribor synagogue.
The notable classical music ensembles that have performed at Narodni dom Maribor include the Staatskapelle Weimar, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the Moscow Philharmonic, the Vienna Musikverein Orchestra, the Borodin Quartet, the Vienna Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonic Camerata of the Berlin Philharmonic and the Leipzig String Quartet. Other notable appearances at Narodni dom Maribor include a concert conducted by Krysztof Penderecki and performances by world-renowned baritone Christian Gerhaher, violinists Hilary Hahn and Sarah Chang, bandoneonist Mario Stefano Pietrodarchi, cellists Mischa Maisky and Nicolas Altstaedt, violist Yuri Bashmet, mezzosoprano Marjana Lipovšek and soprano Bernarda Bobro.
Narodni dom Maribor has featured prominent folk, jazz and world music artists and ensembles, including Youngblood Brass Band, Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz, The Young Mothers, Iva Bittová, etc.
Covering a wide gamut of music genres, the venue’s other notable appearances include Ginger Baker, Cheikh Lô, Vijay Iyer, Sainkho Namtchylak, The Pyramids, Erik Truffaz, Peter Brötzmann, The Thing, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Uwe Kropinski, Patrice, Hamid Drake, Arvid Engegard, Radovan Vlatković, Kronos Quartet, Ahn Trio, Adam Bicskey, Mate Bekavac, Irena Grafenauer, Slokar Brass Trio, Concerto Köln, Midori Goto, Global Kryner, Perpetuum Jazzile, Fanfare Ciocarlia, Esma Redžepova, Laibach, Vlatko Stefanovski, Damir Imamović…
Other establishments located on the premises of Narodni dom are the Koncertna poslovalnica concert agency, Festival Lent, Komedija, Jeunesses Musicales and, with the support of the Open Society Institute – Slovenia, the KiberSRCeLab _ KIBLA Multimedia Centre, which includes a student information centre, a coffee shop and a cyber cafe, a graphic atelier, a bookshop with a reading room and a gallery.
Maia Juvanc
