Tanja Šljivar presents her debut novel Nationaltheater, a compelling exploration of ambition, institutional power, and artistic creation. The story follows Dina, a 30-year-old dramaturg who takes the helm of the Drama Department at Serbia's prestigious National Theatre in Belgrade, navigating what the author describes as "a fateful year in the biography of an ambitious young woman with the history of an institution."

Through precise, analytically rigorous prose tinged with dark humor, Šljivar weaves together personal ambition with institutional history. The novel examines the tensions and contradictions inherent in running a major theatre—the conditions under which art is produced, the political currents that shape cultural institutions, and the lasting scars of Yugoslavia's collapse and the wars that followed.

This is a work for anyone interested in theatre, institutional life, or the complexities of Eastern European culture and history. The author's intelligent, unsentimental approach offers no easy answers but instead invites readers into the messy, fascinating reality of keeping a major cultural institution alive and relevant.

Join Tanja Šljivar in conversation with Cory Tamler at the Deutsches Theater as they discuss the novel, its genesis, and the world it portrays. The event takes place in the intimate Rangfoyer, creating an ideal setting for a deep conversation about art, power, and ambition.

Published by Suhrkamp Verlag.

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