Upon the release of the biography of Mitja Rotovnik

When Mitja Rotovnik retired, he packed his personal belongings, materials, notes, photocopies of documents in boxes and stored them in a special room above the Gallus Hall, which was a disused translators’ booth. Many people suggested he write a book, which was what he wanted too, but for a while he set this task aside. Now, a good decade has passed, and the book is here. Mitja Rotovnik describes the inception of the arts centre Cankarjev dom, the construction process and how the cultural centre’s mission was pursued. But the main protagonist of the book is Cankarjev dom, and its long-standing director general, according to Rotovnik, merely a piece of the puzzle containing stories big and small.
All major Slovenian cultural institutions were built before the Great War, and after three decades of socialism Ljubljana had not made a single infrastructural investment in arts venues. The area surrounding the Slovene National Theatre Drama was the only unpaved urban space. Rotovnik had a bee in his bonnet, he could not stop thinking about it, something had to be done. “Ljubljana needs a multi-purpose hall with a stage big enough to host not only concerts but also operas, ballets, dance and theatre performances...” And so it began. Taking inspiration from the French model of large arts centres, his daily chores and walks took him past the construction site of what was to become the Revolution Square.

In his book, Rotovnik writes about how Tito's visit finally helped to put ideas into action, how the Yugoslav Federation influenced the construction project, the tactics employed in those financially uncertain times by the construction manager Janez Zemljarič, and how he and the architect Ravnikar struck up a friendship. The turbulent beginnings at Prešernova 10 were marked by gala premieres and requests for extended deadlines, unfinished halls, struggles with time, acoustics and “oneself” ... a journey lasting thirty-two years.

Tanja Jaklič
 

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