"The feature film Lisinski was made in 1944 on a nytrat film." "In the Year 2008 with the help of Croatian Audiovisual Center" "Croatian Cinematheque preserved this film making a substitute original and restored it through photo chemical procedure in the laboratory of Jadran film." "The film was digital restored in the Year 2009 with the support of the Ministry of culture of the Republic of Croatia in the Studio Vizije (picture) And the Studio Oktava digital (sound)." "HRVATSKI SLIKOPIS Presents:" "A motion picture about the life of THE COMPOSER OF THE FIRST CROATIAN OPERA" "LISINSKI" "Writer:" "Screenplay:" "Director:" "Production and editing:" "Musical compositions by Vatroslav Lisinski adapted by BORIS PAPANDOPULO" "Photography:" "Sound:" "Props and costumes:" "Set design:" "Starring:" "Also starring:" "Participating:" "MEN'S AND WOMEN'S CHOIR," "MEMBERS OF THE BALLET COMPANY OF THE CROATIAN NATIONAL THEATER IN ZAGREB," "RADIO CHOIR, AND ZAGREB PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA" "Conductor:" "BORIS PAPANDOPULO" "This film was produced in Zagreb by the NATIONAL FILM INSTITUTE "HRVATSKI SLIKOPIS"" "CROATIA FILM, headed by MARIJAN MIKAC" "Ladies and gentlemen, the life of many great Croats was difficult, bleak and woeful." "Today, as we listen to the immortal music composed by the great Lisinski, and as we sense the magnitude of his creation, we will also take a look back at the last 13 years of his life;" "years he spent misunderstood by his colleagues and companions." "Our story begins in 1841." "At this time, Lisinski was an unpaid trainee in a government office." "Hello, my friend." "It is a good thing you're home." "Hello, Štriga." "What happened?" "I am all out of breath." "Big things, big events, my dear Lisinski." "Gaj is coming to Zagreb, our great Croat, great patriot, and the Croatian youth will prepare a fitting welcome." "Excellent, Štriga." "But, what shall we do, and how?" "Listen, Nacek." "Enough of pushing these papers, do you really think this is the job for you?" "Will youalways be some lowly clerk?" " But, Striga, what are you doing?" "Listen to me." "You have a tremendous musical talent, it has to be expressed to the Croatian people." "Now you should seriously get to work on it." " It is not that simple, my dear Striga." "It is just that simple..." " You see, my friend..." "Listen, I guarantee that we will break through." "Demeter wrote a poem in honor of Gaj's arrival in Zagreb, and you will set that poem to music." " But Striga..." "Listen to it:" ""Free is the bird that soars through the sky, free is the beast that roams the mountain;" "why then should I let these chains bind be, why should a foreigner walk over me"" "What do you think..." "these words, this thought?" "Let me see." ""He who would not sooner die, has not our blood in his veins"" "You will set this poem to music, and it will be the first Croatian patriotic song." "Yes, you are right, but I dare not do such a thing." "You see, dear Štriga, I have never composed anything for the public and I am afraid I'm not worthy of it." "True, music is my whole world, but for such a ceremonial occasion..." "Vatroslav, you will write this song, you are born to be an artist." "Štriga, Štriga, you are a dreamer, but I will try it anyway." "You must, Vatroslav, you must." "We will create great works together." "But now I leave you to your muses." "Pull together, Lisinski, now is the moment to show the world what the Croatian youth is capable of." "Goodbye, friend." " Goodbye, Striga." "Bravo!" "Excellent!" "Bravo!" "My deepest bows, our splendid countess." " Good evening, Striga." "My apologies for interrupting this marvelous artistic event, but..." "It is all right, dear Štriga, you are always welcome in my home." "I am fortunate to be able to enter so freely the home of countess Sidonija Rubido, our great patriot and a wonderful artist." "You flatter me too much, dear Štriga." "No, no, dear countess, he speaks what is in all our hearts." "Oh, my troubadours, did we meet simply to exchange compliments?" "You should rather help yourselves, dear gentlemen." " Thank you, countess." "Countess, I am here to ask a favor, a big favor." "Go ahead, Štriga." " I wanted to ask if you would try to sing this song?" "It must be an aria from some opera, is that right, Štriga?" "No, it isn't from an opera." "It is a new Croatian song." "Croatian song?" " Yes." " Interesting..." "It is a Croatian patriotic song." " Who is the composer?" "Our talented Lisinski." "Vatroslav Lisinski." " Lisinski?" "Who is this Lisinski anyway?" "Are we always going to waste time on those poor dilettantes of ours?" "Don't bother, countess, it is surely not worth the effort." "But dear Illustrissimus, why be so harsh right away?" "It is true, countess, that Lisinski is not well known yet." "He is modest and shy, but very talented." "Countess, you must help us make this patriotic tune known to the public." "I would be happy to do so, Štriga." " Countess, you truly are an angel." "Very well, Štriga, just let me hear it." "Let's listen to it, professor." "Some composition this is, no line at all, this is not an aria." "Complete dilettantism." " Quiet!" "This is not so bad." "A nice little song." "Sounds like something patriotic." " We need good patriotic songs." "I think that composer is very talented." "What is his name again?" " Lisinski." "Aha, Lisinski." "The youth wholeheartedly sided with Lisinski." "So as not to be disturbed by the enemies of patriotic ideals, they meet in the forest of Tuškanac where they learn to sing the songs composed by Lisinski." "That wasn't so good, children." "Not "krv nevrije", but "krv ne vrije"." "Now let us take it from the beginning." "But in all that idealistic fervor, nobody thought to take care of Lisinski." "To survive, he went from house to house, teaching the children of his fellow citizens music, for a meager compensation." "You see, Vatroslav, it's good I was able to talk my father into letting you have this room." "Not exactly luxurious, but at least this way I can take care of you a bit." "You are not even listening to me." " I'm listening, dear, I'm listening." "I apologize; you are so sweet and kind." "I become worried at a mere thought that your family might find out you come up here." "But, darling..." "You see, my little Heda, I lack the courage to ask for your hand in marriage." "I haven't achieved anything yet, it is all so pathetic." "All will be well, darling, you will see." "Oh, my two doves, I apologize for intruding." "Perhaps you want me to leave" " I will then disappear, like a magician." "Štriga is here;" "Striga is gone." "But dear Štriga..." " I kiss your hand." "Just stay, you are the only one who knows our secret." "Put it down, friend..." "Thank you." " You are always welcome here with us." "I received a magic parcel myself." " Oooh, that is wonderful." "Look, magicians all around." " Well, you haven't seen anything yet." "Watch carefully." "My hands are empty now." "Right?" "Hocus pocus," "my contribution to this celebration." " Bravo, Striga." "Excellent." "Please have a seat, friend." " Thank you." "Where do you get all this energy from, Striga?" "You are truly like a meteor." "What?" "What am I?" "A meteor, a bright little meteor on our otherwise sorrowful sky." "We shall all become meteors, comets if need be." "We will sweep with our bright tails through our dormant surroundings that ail us so." "Štriga, you are truly wonderful." "But children, joking aside." "Listen to me, Vatroslav." "I think you have spent enough time composing those little songs and patriotic tunes." "Štriga, you know..." " Please don't interrupt me before I'm finished." "You, Vatroslav Lisinski, will compose an opera." " Opera?" "Yes, yes." "An opera, the first Croatian opera." "Here, take a look." "This here is the libretto." "It was written by Janko Car, and edited by Demetar himself." "You think that we..." " Yes, yes, us." "We will have our own opera." "It will be titled "Love  Malice"." "You will write an opera?" "Oh my God, oh my God." "Only a man like Lisinski could compose the first Croatian opera." "Dare I decide to do this?" "Do I have the strength for it?" "You do, Vatroslav." "You must." " Only you, Lisinski, no one else." "To the first Croatian opera, then!" " Cheers!" "Lisinski was happiest when he was able to take a walk through the marvelous nature with his fiancee Hedviga." "During those times, his gentle soul felt rejuvenated." "The inspiration he found in nature was to bear rich fruit in the form of his artistic creation." "Working tirelessly, days and nights, Lisinski was finishing his first opera." "The whole of progressive Zagreb supported him in his work." "Everyone was preparing to stage the first Croatian opera, "Love  Malice"." "At the time, there were no Croatian opera artists, but there was the patriotic youth, working with great enthusiasm." "The theater on St. Mark's square would soon see its most festive day:" "The premiere of the first Croatian opera." "Madame countess will look marvelous on stage, and in the company of such a fine gentleman as Mr. Striga." "Jelica, Jelica, come to your senses." "Hurry up, the rehearsal begins at 10 o'clock, and we are not finished yet." "Yes, of course." "A sad day in Croatian history." "On the 29th of July, 1845." "The blood of Croatian youth was spilled on St. Mark's square." "Their sacrifice was not in vain." "The national spirit could not be suppressed even by brutal force." "Shortly thereafter, that spirit was to rise again." "The glorious day had come, when the first Croatian opera was to be shown in the theater on St. Mark's square in Zagreb." "Perhaps countess Rubido will be offended because we did not attend that famous premiere of theirs," "but as the president of the Musical Institute, I cannot afford to support dilettantism." "I am surprised to see the countess engage in such a frivolous undertaking." "Just to think how much money and effort were put into that circus, it makes one hot with rage." "But, dear Illustrissimus, the props and fancy costumes are the only things of any value at that event." "No matter, dear friend, that fiasco calls for a celebration." "Let's drink." "Cheers!" "Listen Jurek, you are such a fine young man, how come you are not performing today?" "Oho, I could have performed, but I can't sing." "It is my only problem." "Eh, you have some other problems, too." "Butjokes aside." "That thing today, it might end up being something, because all our young gentlemen are performing." "Mischievous guys and ladies." "But, would you please explain to me what an opera really is?" "It is like this, Franc:" "The music is playing, finely dressed people walk back and forth through the house, waving their arms, kneeling before the ladies and just keep on singing." "That is called an opera." "Listen to them applauding." "Truly, my little Heda, everything was wonderful." "The countess, and Striga." "If you please, countess, before the curtain." " Pardon me?" "Listen." "They are shouting my name." "I am so happy and proud." "But I did not deserve this." "My great artist." " My God, man, why are you hiding here?" "Come, the audience wants to see you." "The success of our first opera was remarkable." "The newspapers wrote about it with great enthusiasm." "Poet Stanko Vraz wrote a beautiful description of this first opera performance, full of praise for Lisinki and all the participants." "Lisinski had worked tirelessly and with so much zeal to bring his first opera to life, that he neglected to take care of himself." "His health, fragile in the best of times, could not withstand such a strain, and shortly after the premiere he had fallen seriously ill." "Here, Vatroslav." "That will ease your pain." "Good." " Thank you, darling." "I have received another letter from Krizmaniæ." "Read it, dear." "My dear Lisinski, I am still excited about the great success of our national cause." "You, my son, have done a great deal for the Croatian people..." "That's not important, just read the last part." "Very well." "...and therefore, without hesitation, come to visit me here in Bistrica straight away." "This wonderful nature will speed up your recovery." "I await you with a friendly and open heart." "Yours truly, abbot Krizmaniæ, vicar of Marija Bistrica." "Help yourself, my son, please." "As if you were at home." "Just this piece." "This is the original Zagorje turkey." "Thank you, Illustrissimus, I have had enough." "I really couldn't eat more." "Eh, my young friend, that cannot be." "You have other tasks ahead of you." "You must gain strength." "I will, Illustrissimus." "You are so kind." "I don't know how to repay you." "Don't worry about that, my artist." "I know you have other worries on your mind." "All secrets come out in the open eventually." "What secrets, Illustrissimus?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "You know very well, my friend." "Besides, what is my friend, the noble gentleman and city judge Ivan Ban doing these days?" "He is a wonderful gentleman." " And he has an even more wonderful daughter." "Aha, we know everything." "But you must promise me something." "You and your Hedviga must get married here, at my church in Bistrica." "I gladly give that promise, Illustrissimus." "But I have much to achieve yet to become worthy of Hedviga." "She is so kind and noble." "Yes, yes, that is well known." "However, it seems to me that this conversation is leaving you a bit confused." "Wait, I'll show you something." "Matek!" "Matek, bring that old cantual from my room." "As you wish, highness, right away." "You know, I have an old cantual which is sure to interest you." "Church music, friend, is the foundation of all secular musical art." "You are right, Illustrissimus." "I wish nothing more than to fully dedicate myself to the art of music." "You know, Illustrissimus, that it is my life's goal." "If you please, highness." "Aha, we are about the show the young artist what kind of music we have here." "Take a look, this is something..." "Take a closer look at it." "Isn't this polonaise wonderful?" " Excellent." "By Lisinski." "You are remarkably cheerful today, Štriga." "Who wouldn't be in your company, my lovely countess?" "Scandalous." "How can that countess be flirting with the likes of that Štriga?" "As if she is on a stage." "Yes, you are right, sweetie, the dinner was excellent." "Our esteemed president received a good lesson today." "I don't think he will forgive me easily." "To the good health of the most charming lady in Zagreb." "This polonaise was truly a surprise." "It makes me immensely happy to hear that, dear countess." "But here is still a small surprise for you in the waiting." " What is it?" "Here she comes." " Oooh, miss Hedviga." "Good evening, Štriga." " Kiss your hand." "You did not expect this, did you?" " Truly, I did not." "Just a moment, children, let me see if this is the right time." "Miss Hedviga, I am really surprised." " Don't be, dear Striga." "I have decided to take care of something very important." "Here at the ball?" " Yes, here." "Today, our ban, our honorable lord is here, so I have asked the countess to introduce me." "For God's sake, what are you planning?" " You shall see." "Good evening, Illustrissimus." " God's grace, hello, friend." "You see, that my turkeys from Zagorje are worth something after all." "You look much better already." "Why are you so deep in thoughts?" "Illustrissimus, here in the country, everything is so beautiful and peaceful." "I am obsessed with how lovely the folk singing is." "In fact, music ought to be composed in that spirit alone." "You see, son, I have come to the same conclusion long ago." "But, I didn't want to say anything about it." "Let our young artist come to those thoughts alone." "Where have my aging wits gone?" "I almost forgot the most important thing." "Here." "You received a letter from Zagreb, but not written in female hand." "I hadn't received anything in a long time." "Whose letter is it?" " Štriga's." " Štriga?" "Is it something important?" " Very important, Illustrissimus." "Listen:" "Our esteemed Demeter wrote the libretto for your new opera." "What do you say to that?" "The opera will be called "Porin"" "or "liberation of the Croats from Frankish oppression"." "Excellent, wonderful, already a second Croatian opera." "You are great young men." "Keep reading." "...and furthermore, your Štriga has arranged and found support for your musical studies in Prague." "A letter of recommendation for duke Rohan, the patron of the Prague Conservatory, will be written by our honorable lord ban himself, at the request from Hedviga." "You see, that's a woman." "Dear Sir!" "We regret to inform you that we are unable to admit you to our Conservatory, because you are older than the prescribed maximum age limit." "With my deepest respect..." "Since the Prague Conservatory was unable to take him in," "Lisinski took lessons at professor Pitsch's famous organ school." "Even professor Kitl, the Conservatory director himself, gave composing and instrumentation lessons to Lisinski." "During this time, "Porin", the second Croatian opera, was written." "With the third act already completed, and having broadened his musical knowledge immensely during his stay in Prague, Lisinski returned to Zagreb full of hope." "Gentlemen, please, just a few moments longer." "We have come to the last item on our agenda." " Let us hear it." "You all remember that Lisinski, sent by some hotheads to study in Prague." "As if we don't have enough learned and skilled musicians here." "Well, that Lisinski has now returned to Zagreb and seeks a position at the Musical Institute." "Has that young man learned anything in Prague?" "Here are some impressive diplomas that say he has learned quite a lot there." "Some of his friends probably arranged for those." "Gentlemen, as a loyalist I must warn you that this illyrian outlaw group has become dangerous in Zagreb, as they have many followers even among the highest ranks of society." "That's why I think something must be done about them." "We should reject his application, it is as simple as that." "It would not serve our purpose to reject it outright, so I suggest we give this Lisinski some sort of a position anyway." "My vote is against it." " He could have stayed in Prague." "Enough of these dilettantes." "They will ruin our music." "Silence!" "Gentlemen." "Silence." "Please listen to all I have to say." "I suggest that we offer this Lisinski a position, but perhaps not a position of professor or even director, which is probably the ambition of those wise guys behind him." "No, we shall give him a supervisor position, unpaid." " Excellent." "Unfortunately we do not have the funds to pay him for his work." "But this way we appear to have shown some good will." "I hope he will not endure very long as an unpaid supervisor." "That is great." "We have to protect the professor class from such dilettantes." "I ask then that my proposal be accepted by this honorable Board of Directors." "Let it be so." " It is good." " Accepted." "Thank you gentlemen, this meeting is adjourned." "Lisinski accepted even the position of an unpaid musical supervisor at the Musical Institute, all to be able to contribute to the spreading of musical literacy." "Are you writing this down, my ladies?" " We are." " Very well, let's keep going." "Lisinski found himself living in very difficult conditions." "All the time that was left for his creative work were the long, sleepless nights." "He was draining his own strength to its very limits." "Hey, Lisinski!" "Friend!" "Wake up!" "O, Štriga, what is it?" "My God, he sleeps without a care for the events unfolding around him." "I fell asleep a bit." "I have been up all night, working." "Just so you know, I have finished "Porin"." "You finished "Porin"!" "That is wonderful, Nacek!" "Allow me to congratulate you." "Long live "Porin"!" "But, Nacek, you must already know that our young king is coming to Zagreb soon..." "Of course I know it." "But why are you telling me this?" "Eh, my son, you are one of the most important people, who must help that this time around, the Croatian spirit is fully expressed." "Why me?" "What do you mean?" " Listen." "The welcoming committee has put together a schedule for the grand theater." "Look, you will conduct the performance of the anthems, you will compose a special overture for the glorious occasion, and then your opera "Love  Malice" will be performed." "Wonderful." " Ha, my dear." "The entire royal court will be in that theater." "What do you say?" "Marvelous!" " We'll see what those wise guys say after that." "Now is the time to defeat them totally, and after that the composer of Croatian operas will no longer be an unpaid supervisor at the Musical Institute, but rather the leader of the entire Croatian musical establishment." "Will you do it?" " Of course I'd like to." "But I don't know, there is so little time." "There is enough time." "We will all help." "Work should begin immediately." "Very well." "So I would recommend that you use your place to stop the Croatian performance in the theatre on the day of the arrival of His Majesty in Zagreb." "Your loyalty will be, as always, rewarded." "See you soon..." "The opponents of the Croatian patriotic thought did not like any of this." "They pushed through a different decision." "Lisinski's compositions were to be removed from the program, and the meaning of the entire ceremony has now changed." "Instead of Croatian music, a foreign theater company was to perform an Italian opera "Lucrezia Borgia"." "To make the blow even stronger," "Lisinski was suddenly dismissed from the Musical Institute." "What those enemies of Croatian national cause have been striving for, now came to pass." "Lisinski was finally broken." "Disappointed and bitter, Lisinski swore never to compose again." "He returned to his low-paid job as a government clerk." "The Croatian music thus lost its first great composer." "That unfortunate small-minded milieu that surrounded Lisinski was incapable of understanding him." "After losing his music," "Lisinski lived the rest of his life lonely and without a purpose, as if in a daze." "A cruel twist of fate destroyed his most precious dream, his love for Hedviga." "The storms of his life finally shattered Lisinski." "Ha, ha..." "That fiasco calls for a celebration." "Now you will always be some lowly clerk, clerk, clerk, clerk..." "Snap to it, Lisinski, now is the time..." "Who is this Lisinski anyway?" "..." "Lowly clerk, clerk, clerk..." "Only a man like Lisinski could compose the first Croatian opera..." "Enough of these dilettantes already..." "You, my son, have done a lot for the Croatian people..." "You, my great artist..." " Unpaid supervisor..." "All will be well, darling..." "You and your Hedviga must get married here, at my church in Bistrica..." "And so, misunderstood and forgotten, the composer of the first Croatian opera passed away." "Vatroslav Lisinski's destiny was similar to that of many great men." "His greatness and the value of his work were fully appreciated only after his death." "But the great works he left behind him endure, to this day and beyond." "THE END" "Translation:" "Srðan Randiæ"