Autonome vs. Nationalisten in Split: Musik, Politik und Multikulturalismus rund um das Stadttheater

Until the last decades of the 19th century, Italian impresarios and opera companies followed each other in Split’s theatre according to a well- established tradition, albeit against the background of a multi-ethnic area with a Croatian majority. Most of the boxes were occupied by members of the Italian Autonomous Party, which had won the majority of seats in the first Dalmatian parliament. All this went without conflict until an event disrupted life in the city. The theatre was destroyed in a fire allegedly caused by Austrians who supported the Croatian nationalist party. Soon after, the municipality passed de facto to the Croats, who raised the problem of reconstruction and the type of repertoire to offer. Were the operas of Giuseppe Verdi still playable? To what extent should the repertoire have been changed? What “character” or “national character” should the new theatre have?