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Šibenik theatre
Today's Šibenik theatre is a descendant of the national theater Šibenik founded on the 9 th of May 1945 where a professional drama and operetta group (functioned from1946 to 1956) worked there till 1964.
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 In 1963 the professional drama group seizes all activities and a semiprofessional drama group continues and stages several premieres annually. From the 1 st of March 1966 the Šibenik theatre is united with the children's festival; today the International Children's Festival established in 1958. Before the construction of the current theatre, shows were held in many different locations, such as: the ground floor of the Duke's palace(1782-1821) , in the previous salt warehouse, and then in the 18c in a house on Dobrić owned by Frane Đardov on which a “mascherone” is still visible, then till 1841 in halls of certain homes, and from 1841 to 1870 in the “old theatre” (a building by the eastern town wall next to the present theatre to the north side.) The old theatre was severely damaged in a fire in 1861 but was repaired minimally, so shows took place there till the opening of the current theatre.
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Today the Šibenik theatre functions in a grand building that was finished in 1870. (from 1864-1870). In that time it was considered to be one of the largest (500 seats) and most beautiful theatres in Croatia . It was designed by a man from Trogir an engineer Joseph Slade. It is the only theatre house in Croatia that wasn't financed by the government, but by 28 stockholders who were citizens of Šibenik. The theatre was solemnly opened on the 29 th of January 1870 showing Teobald Ciconi's” Statue of Flesh” performed by the drama company “La Dramatica Compagnia Vittorio Alfieri”. The new theater house was named The Communal Theatre of Šibenik ( Teatro Sociale de Sibenico), but from 1872 it was called Theatre Mazzolini, in honor of the largest stockholder Franjo Mazzolini a citizen of Šibenik and a well renowned opera singer. For 4 whole years visiting drama groups (mostly Italian) performed plays in Italian. Croatian was first heard from this stage on the 10 th of October in 1874. (A drama titled “Zvonimir a Croatian Duke”, by J.Subotić and performed by the National Theatre of Fotija Iličić.)
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A valuable part of this grand theatre is the ceiling that is above the stage, it was illustrated by Antun Zucccaro an artist from Trieste . He painted an allegoric painting of renowned Šibenik citizens (Nikola Tommaseo, Antun Vrančić, Faust Vrančić, Martin Kolunić Rota, Andrija Medulić and in the middle a woman-the symbol of Dalmatia , leaning on a stone emblem.)The theatre has been reconstructed several times in 131 years.
In the September attack on Šibenik in 1991, it was directly hit with a grenade, so since then till 2001 it was closed, but it has been completely restored. The building today can accommodate 310 viewers.
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