The greatest Croatian playwright of all time is still showing just how influential he is, even 450 years after his death!
On the occasion of the opening of the exhibition “Building Bridges – Traveling with Marin Držić from Milan to Dubrovnik”, the Mayor of the City of Dubrovnik, Mato Franković, Deputy Mayor, Jelka Tepšić, and Director of the beloved Dubrovnik Cultural Organisation “Dom Marina Držića” (House of Marin Držić), Nikša Matić, were received at the Croatian Consul in Milan by Iva Pavić, and the Director of the Braidense National Library of Milan, Mari Goffreddo.
Yesterday at the House of Marin Držić, the presentation of Držić’s works from the year 1551, including the famous “Tirena”, which was first performed in Venice, Italy were presented. For a very long time, these invaluable publications went overlooked as they were not found in the Braidense National Library in Milan where they were stored. Their presentation in Dubrovnik was the fruit of the collaboration between the House of Marin Držić and the Milan National Library.
Pavić reviewed the recent ceremony held in Milan on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations between the Republic of Croatia and the Italian Republic, during which the focus was on Dubrovnik, through the prism of the life and works of two Dubrovnik born geniuses who spent significant parts of their working lives in Italy, Ruđer Bošković and Marin Držić. The ceremony took place alongside the participation of numerous Dubrovnik cultural institutions, including the House of Marin Držić and its director Nikša Matić, Dubrovnik Gymnasium and the Dubrovnik Tourist Board. Pavić also presented new ideas and initiatives for further and deeper cooperation between Dubrovnik and Milan, as well as other cities and regions in neighbouring Italy.
Newly elected Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Frankovic expressed the conviction that further co-operation, as long as there is a strong desire on both sides, will certainly make relations between the two nations stronger and richer, he noted that the presentation of priceless first releases of the incredible works by the beloved Croatian comedian and playwright is of huge significance to Dubrovnik as well as to the rest of the Republic of Croatia as a whole.
It is incredible to see that even 450 years after his untimely death in Venice, Marin Držić and his timeless works still havd the power to bring people together in the name of diplomacy, cooperation and genuine friendship.
(All images: Nikša Matić/Dom Marina Držića)
