REX ILUSIVII IN VITRO - SUBA WITH IN US      
PRESS
 Welcome to the official site of the Rex Ilusivii In Vitro Ballet

HOME

SEE MORE FROM:
THE CHALLENGE

Ballet Rex Ilusivii In Vitro / Suba with in us

Visualisation of creative work of a composer and producer Mitar Subotic Suba, a prominent figure of new music, based on autobiographic story seen from the choreographer’s eye of Aleksandra Ketig


Next performance: Sat 26. nov at 18 h. E V E N I N G    S T A G E Pozorište mladih.
Reservacion: 021 525 884, 520 534, 521 826

• Danas

• Dnevnik

• Gradjanski

• THE CHALLENGE

• Virtualnigrad

• B92

• Suba.isallineed.net



Milica Zajcev
Newspaper “Danas” – Friday, December 17th, 2004
Visualisation of a composer’s and producer’s work of a great figure of our new music that is based on his short and artistic biography abounding with results, which was envisaged by Aleksandra Ketig, a ballerina, pedagogue and choreographer, is a pure, individual and an act interwoven with love in all its theatre components. This poetic choreographer’s work named after the pseudonym of a well-known composer from Novi Sad, Mitar Subotic Suba, who lost his life tragically in a fire in a distant Sao Paolo five years ago, created as the co-production of the Youth Theatre and Atelier Gucunski Agency, is a homage to a friend that is not sad at all, but that is filled with positive energy radiating from his compositions. Selecting excellent performers, Aleksandra Ketig, an author, choreographer and director of this noble memory, has showed that this “dreamteam” from Novi Sad deserves a special attention in our artistic play. Because they have all harmonised their performing and acting skills according to the main properties of Suba’s artistic visionaryness that pulsed truly in them.
Illustrating with a dancing set up very rich with ideas some of important moments in Subotic’s biography, Aleksandra Ketig has managed to establish with sophistication not only an excellent authorial duo of Maja Stankovic and Jovica Bogojev, but also a set of dances based on the rhythms of his music where all the performers had their culmination moments: Slobodan Ninkovic has been leading this artistic biography not only as an actor but also as a dancer, letting the ballet virtuosity of modern dedication to Suba’s emotional personality that was excellently presented by the already experienced Stevan Sremac (Father) and a new hope of the Novi Sad ballet, Jovica Bogojev. The singer Agota Vitkai Kucera (Mother) and an actress Kristina Radenkovic (Girl Friend) have managed to fit in successfully into a play filled with sincere emotions that were led by Sasa Krga (Suba the Creator) in a temperament, extremely fast and passionate way, especially in the final scene of Brazilian carnival that came unexpectedly perhaps, but gave an optimistic spirit to the whole homage: “Dear friend, we shall not forget You and Your music and we shall play it for many years to come.”



DNEVNIK, NOVI SAD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4th, 2004


What is reality for the King of Illusions...
„Rex Ilusivii In Vitro (Suba In Us)” by the author, choreographer and director Aleksandra Sanja Ketig;
Co-production of the Youth Theatre and the Agency “Atelier Gucunski”.
Five years after the tragic fire in Sao Paulo, which took prematurely the life of one of the most talented people that Novi Sad has ever had, we saw the opening night of the ballet titled “Rex Ilusivii In Vitro (Suba In Us)” by the choreographer Aleksandra Sanja Ketig made in co-production of the Youth Theatre and the Agency “Atelier Gucunski”, which is completely dedicated to visualisation of a composer’s and producer’s creative work of Mitar Subotic (1961-1999), the man who, literally speaking, lived and died for music. The words of Vladimir Kopicl written in 1999, the year that was so sad for Novi Sad for many things, that “the emptiness has already been filled with the deed instead of an image, as a form of fulfilment of a significant artistic adventure the shapes of which shall continue to grow and become clearer and more complete in time” have started to come true.
In realisation of biography, which has been supplemented largely with the story of Suba's generation, Sanja Ketig started from the beginning. The lights are lit, the star is born and deamonised accordion has already been there to accompany him until the end of his life. In inevitable subjective problem approach to creation of the ballet styled homage, Ketig chose the highly concentrated focus on psychology of the main character (hero) that is presented in a play through theoretically famous "triangle" structure: Suba (Slobodan Ninkovic) is made up of an emotional Suba (Jovica Begojev) and a creative Suba (Sasa Krga) and they are accompanied closely by the appropriate personifications of female principles: the Mother (Agota Vitkai-Kucera), Love (Maja Stankovic) and a Girl Friend (Kristina Radenkovic) while the (in)visible male "pole" – Father (Stevan Sremac) - is also present all the time. The chronological narration commitment is easy to follow and while Suba is growing up, through the forms of group and duet dances, the images of a man, the enamoured and "obsessed architect" – the medium of cosmic warbling – are expressed, developed and "raging" in a dramaturgically nice manner. In the end Suba says good bye, vanishes in flames, but in the cathartic scene of Brazilian carnival the samba of Novi Sad's gringo wins over death and continues to live behind the mask of material, universal as reality is no obstacle for the King of Illusions...
Music (Mitar Subotic) is, naturally, like hitting the jackpot. It rocks and rocks! The drama moment of Suba’s compositions/pieces (Lullaby for Alice, In the Mooncage...) is well perceived and composed with their emotional meditativeness, alongside of which the classically tender ballet move is cherished, and with lucidness that is followed by creative states of the main character, which was excellently played by Slobodan Ninkovic, thanks to more open, modern and acrobatic choreography. At times very effectively, with the evident ascents and descents in probably too fragmented tempo of drama action. The satisfactory lighting solutions are somewhat spoiled by contextually doubtful scenography, but the enormous attraction of energy of young forces saves everything all the time as love and commitment truly shine out of it.
Although one can discuss about the remarks of the “ill-tempered ones who are always on duty” related to the calculated security of this performing undertaking, it is difficult to question the value of the deserved homage of the fellow-citizens to the world recognised author as well as the fact that Novi Sad is crying out for new artistic space, and development of different productions that are hopefully going to survive (remain) at the site of their origin. Anyway, the fact is that the audience asked vigorously for more and more!
I. Buric

http://www.dnevnik.co.yu/arhiva/04-11-2004/Strane/kultura.htm



The ballet "Rex Ilusivii In Vitro – Suba In Us" on the stage of the Youth Theatre
The sounds that we have probably dreamt of once

It seems that this was a good repertoire move of the Youth Theatre as the play that talks about Suba attracted, it has to be admitted, the unseen interest and, except for the fact that tickets for the opening night and the day preceding it were sold in advance, the citizens of Novi Sad started immediately to buy the tickets for the first repetition performances that are planned for November 13th and 14th.
The opening night of the ballet titled Rex Ilusivii In Vitro – Suba In Us dedicated to Mitar Subotic, the cult musician from Novi Sad, was played on the big stage of the Youth Theatre on November 2nd, the fifth anniversary of the date when he passed away tragically in the fire. The author, choreographer and director of this project that is unusual for the stage of the Youth Theatre (that has seen no ballet ever since the Serbian National Theatre moved out of the building) is Aleksandra-Sanja Ketig. The whole project is actually the co-production of the Youth Theatre and the Agency “Atelier Gucunski”. Judging by the reactions of the citizens of Novi Sad it seems that this was a good repertoire move of the Youth Theatre as the play that talks about Suba attracted, it has to be admitted, the unseen interest and, except for the fact that tickets for the opening night and the day preceding it were sold in advance, the citizens of Novi Sad started immediately to buy the tickets for the first repetition performances that are planned for November 13th and 14th.
- After almost four years since the beginning of work of the team that currently manages the Youth Theatre this is certainly one of the most serious projects and it is extremely significant for us. I think that we have come closer to the concept that should accompany the programme orientation of the Youth Theatre. At the same time, I am truly very pleased and happy because I have encountered the creative worker as Sanja Ketig is. We constantly talk about things that are going on in the rest of the world and about how they do them and then finally Sanja Ketig appeared here as someone who does things in exactly the same way. She said who she was, what she was doing, explained her concept of the project and came up with several brilliant ideas. From the very beginning we knew that it was not going to be easy to implement the project and carry out its idea but the participants invested enormous efforts and that was how we managed to come all the way and meet the audience for the first time, tells Dragoljub Selakovic, the director of the Youth Theatre.
The ballet’s story is based on biography of Mitar Subotic Suba seen from the authorial angle of Aleksandra-Sanja Ketig, whose friend Suba was. “I dedicated this play, primarily, to Suba as my friend. I started thinking about the play ever since I heard the news about Suba's tragic death. This means that I have been carrying it inside myself ever since then and I dedicated the last year to its creation. Fortunately, I have found the fertile land, here in the Youth Theatre where we came to an agreement that we should do something and start with something new. The funds for this project were provided by the City of Novi Sad. On the other hand, the project is complex as the play itself lasts for only 45 minutes", says Aleksandra-Sanja Ketig about her project. Naturally, she has set her project on the music of Mitar Subotic and her husband Dusan Gucunski has also helped her quite a lot in realisation of the project and he was also the co-producer and author of scenography. Jesenka Radovanovic created costumes, Slobodan Misailovic was the music associate while the team of actors and dancers was selected at an audition. The main role, the character of Suba himself, is played by Slobodan Ninkovic, the actor working in the Youth Theatre. “It was a great fun to work on this play. In the beginning I had problems as, being an actor, I was a bit worried because I was supposed to play in the ballet. I was afraid of the reaction of the ballet dancers as it is their field, but they actually helped me a lot in my work”, remembers Slobodan Ninkovic. He also adds: “Within the last three months of our work on this project Suba has become a part of us and we simply preemted him. He became ours. I have not known him personally and I am very sorry because of that, but I think that it was even better for my role in the play as I would be too burdened otherwise. This is how I had much bigger freedom in creation of Suba’s character through my own perspective, but naturally with Sanja’s help. All I know about Suba I learnt from some newspaper articles that I read, from discussions with Sanja Ketig, who knew him personally, and from a radio programme that was dedicated to Suba in which different people talked about him and I learnt quite a lot from it. Anyway, this play is the chance to bring Suba’s music closer to all those who do not know Suba’s music and to some new generations that know nothing about Suba. I think that he was far ahead of the time he lived and created in but that this is still the fact and that he is still ahead of his time although he is not with us any more. Music that moves and that is so unusual was experimental at that time, and I think that no one is dealing with this kind of music in such a way even today. Imagine the conditions they worked in, the technique they used and the music they created!”

Apart from Ninkovic, four ballet artists – Sasa Krga, Jovica Begojev, Maja Stankovic and Stevan Sremac, the opera singer Agota Vitkai-Kucera and actress Kristina Radenkovic are also playing in the ballet titled Rex Ilusivii In Vitro – Suba In Us. “I did not know Mitar Subotic personally but I listened to his music. There are some truly beautiful pieces and I am glad because they are going to continue living among us”, says Agota Vitkai-Kucera, “As far as the work on the play is concerned I was not completely convinced at the audition that I would be selected as there were also ballet dancers who are professionals and that is why I was truly thrilled when Sanja phoned and said that we were due to start working. It was gorgeous to work with the whole crew/team. The atmosphere was so positive that we had no conflicts whatsoever. This is truly rare in creation of theatre plays today. We all agreed that the work on this project was a kind of rehabilitation for the whole team because of that great atmosphere and it could be felt in the play itself. It can definitely be attributed to the method of work as well because we started from spending time together before we even began to work. This is how we started as it was very important for the play that we meet each other because it is a true group play that succeed thanks to all of us”.
Suba’s mother, Ruza Subotic, has also supported the project of Sanja Ketig. She is the holder of copyrights for Suba’s music. “From the very beginning, when they addressed me with the proposal for this play, the grave battle was going on inside me and I was wandering how to support it. I was very happy because of the fact that it was happening and truly moved with the beautiful lyrical approach, which was maybe the best reward to Suba for all that he created and for the way in which he loved us all. It may be that everyone started loving him through this music”, says Ruza Subotic. “I am grateful to all those who participated in the project and who found pleasure after such a long time and inspiration in the sounds that were created here at Liman, in Drage Spasic Street no. 3, in Suba’s room and who worked with so much enthusiasm, which was exactly the same way in which young people worked at that time. Work has never been easy, especially not in art. It is a gift given by God, but also a terrible Golgotha. The trouble always arises in front of the blank paper, in front of the keyboard that should evoke something, either a provocation, or a challenge, and the problem is how to reach the accomplishment after great quests. These quests have lead my son first of all into the streets of our city where he was searching for birds and nature. The project Birds started in 1986 already and he travelled all around the world. And people have always greeted with joy the sounds that the produced together with his colleagues and that he donated to them, and even something that we have only dreamt of at some point. I think that he wanted very much to see his works published here and that was why he did not sell his copyrights for things he created later on in the world.” In the end she told us she was very glad because the ballet came to life on the stage of the Youth Theatre where, “just by the strange play of destiny little Suba used to practice and made his first steps in gymnastics on the beam while the building was the sports centre and where he used to come later on, while he was growing up, to watch theatre performances”.
S. Prodanovic-Mesaros
Photograph: M. Miric


Mitar Subotic Suba
He was born in Novi Sad, in 1961. He graduated at the Novi Sad Art Academy, at the Department of Composition and Orchestration. He showed the interest in alternative music during his studies already and he completed the course in electronic music held by the saxophone player Paul Pignon and organised by Radio Belgrade. This was when he made his first recordings based on synthesisers and electronics. He started his successful music career at the beginning of the 80's, under the pseudonym Rex Ilusivii. Soon he composed the frequently rewarded music for some ten theatre projects in Novi Sad and Subotica. He was awarded the UNESCO's Prize for promotion of culture and within just a few years "he acquired the reputation of an exquisite author of new music and producer who created the sound of the best known Yugoslav rock and pop bands". After several occasional visits to Paris and Brazil he moved to Sao Paulo in the beginning of the 90's and continued the international career of an author and producer working with many world-class musicians. He died tragically in Sao Paulo on November 2nd, 1999 trying to save his music from the fire.

 
 
Realised under the auspices of:
The Executive Board of the City Assembly of Novi Sad

© Co-production Agency Atelier Gucunski and
The Theatre of Youth (Pozoriste mladi