S is for singing, scene, Serbia: Tendencies in the world of 21st century (post)opera

Abstract

The twenty-first century saw an abrupt and remarkable resurgence of activity in the contemporary opera scene in Serbia. In this essay I construct a 'map' that affords a glimpse into different tendencies, styles, and approaches to opera by contemporary artists who live and work in Serbia, as well as by artists who live beyond Serbia's borders but remain connected to its cultural space through education, language, and the experience of living and/or working there during some period of their lives. I offer a brief outline of developments within each of the following three groups of pieces: 1. reinventing tradition: folklore and beyond; 2. postmodernist strategies: challenging the voices of conventional opera; 3. conceptual and experimental approaches to opera.