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Throughout history, the territory of Slovenia has been home to a number of civilizations and its territory has been included in various European kingdoms and empires. Notably, Slovenia, alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, was a constituent of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia for the majority of the 20th century. Slovenia’s culture is expressed through its history, traditions, literature, mythology, music, dance, literature, cuisine, sports, arts, film, theatre, monuments and more. The country is also home to multiple UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Freising manuscripts comprised the first Latin-script continuous text in a Slavic language. Created in the late 10th century, it is also one of the oldest known Slovene documents.
The ancestors of Slovenes were Slavic inhabitants of the Slovenia and southern Austria, called Carantanians. They were the first Slavic people in history to form a principality, which was aptly named Carantania, and had an enduring cultural impact on the regions it encompassed.
Carantania was one of the first Slavic regions to be Christianized, and Slovenia’s national culture is deeply rooted in Christianity. While Roman Catholicism is the predominant Christian faith in Slovenia, the country is also home to sizeable Orthodox and Protestant communities.
Dance
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A number of music, theater, film, book, and children's festivals takes place in Slovenia each year. In 2012, Maribor was the European Capital of Culture.
Music Festivals
Music festivals include the Ljubljana Summer Festival and Lent Festival.
Historically, among the most popular music festivals was the Slovenska popevka festival. Between 1981 and 2000, the Novi Rock festival was notable for bringing rock music across the Iron Curtain from the West to the Slovenian and then Yugoslav audience. In Titoist Yugoslavia, Jazz festival Ljubljana right after World War II has begun the long tradition of Jazz festivals in Slovenia.[1]
Comedy Festivals
The best-known stand-up comedy festival is the Punch Festival in Ljubljana.
Around the year 1000, the Freising manuscripts were written, which are the first Latin-script continuous text in a Slavic language and the oldest document in Slovene.
Slovene writing in the Middle Ages was heavily influenced by Austrians and the German language, as they were continuously joined with them in various states.
Literature written in Slovene was founded in the 16th century by Primož Trubar, who wrote the first Slovene books Abecednik and Katekizem, and other Protestant Reformers, that formed the modern Slovene language out of the dialects of three central parts of Duchy of Carniola (Kranjska); Upper Carniola (Gorenjska), Inner Carniola (Notranjska) and Lower Carniola (Dolenjska).
Music of Slovenia historically includes numerous musicians and composers, such as the Renaissance composer Jacobus Gallus (1550–1591), who greatly influenced Central European classical music, and the Baroque composer Joannes Baptista Dolar (ca. 1620–1673).
During the medieval era, secular music was as popular as church music, including wandering minnesingers. By the time of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, music was used to proselytize. The first Slovenian hymnal, Eni Psalmi, was published in 1567. This period saw the rise of musicians like Jacobus Gallus and George Slatkonia.[6]
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Vocal
Harmony singing is a deep-rooted tradition in Slovenia, and is at least three-part singing (four voices), while in some regions even up to eight-part singing (nine voices). Slovenian folk songs, thus, usually resounds soft and harmonious, and are very seldom in a minor.
Instrumental
Traditional Slovenian folk music is performed on Styrian harmonica (the oldest type of accordion), fiddle, clarinet, zithers, flute, and by brass bands of alpine type. In eastern Slovenia, fiddle and cimbalon bands are called velike goslarije.
From 1952 on, the Slavko Avsenik's band began to appear in broadcasts, movies, and concerts all over West Germany, inventing the original "Oberkrainer" country sound that has become the primary vehicle of ethnic musical expression not only in Slovenia, but also in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and in the Benelux, spawning hundreds of Alpine orchestras in the process. The band produced nearly 1000 original compositions, an integral part of the Slovenian-style polka legacy. Avsenik's most popular instrumental composition is the polka that is titled "Na Golici" (in Slovene), or "Trompetenecho" (in German), and "Trumpet Echoes" (in English). Oberkrainer music, which the Avsenik Ensemble popularized, is always a strong candidate for the country (folk) music awards in Slovenia and Austria.
Many musicians followed Avsenik's steps, one of the most famous being Lojze Slak.
Slovenska popevka
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A similarly high standing in Slovene culture, like the Sanremo Music Festival, has had in Italian culture, was attributed to the Slovenska popevka, a specific genre of popular Slovene music.[9]
Popular music
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Among pop, rock, industrial, and indie musicians, the most popular in Slovenia include Laibach, an early 1980s industrial music group, and most recently the Slovenian pop a cappella band Perpetuum Jazzile.
In the 1970s, Bratko Bibič's band Begnagrad is considered one of the direct influences on modern world music. Bibič's unique accordion style, often solo, with no accompaniment, has also made him a solo star.
Slovenia has also produced two renowned DJs: DJ Umek and Valentino Kanzyani. Specialising in a frantic brand of party techno and tech-house, the pair co-founded the label Recycled Loops as well as having many releases on labels such as Novamute, Primate, Intec, and Bassethound Records.
Theatre
Slovenia has a strong tradition of live theatre. Both professional and amateur theatre are financially supported by the government. Professional theatre in Slovenia runs in a repertory system; the majority of professional theatres employ an ensemble of actors, and produce a season with four to twelve plays. The plays stay on repertory for a minimum of one season, but often, shows continue playing for a few years. There are four national theatres in Slovenia: Slovene National Theatre, Ljubljana, and Maribor National Drama Theatre, Slovene National Opera in Ljubljana and Slovene National Theatre in Nova Gorica. In addition, there are other nationally funded repertory theatres Mestno Gledalisce Ljubljansko (City Theatre Ljubljana), Mladinsko Gledalisce Ljubljana, Presernovo gledalisce Kranj, Slovensko Ljudsko Gledalisce Celje, Mestno gledalisce Ptuj, Anton Podbevsek Teater Novo Mesto, Gledalisce Koper, Gledalisce Glej, and Mini Teater. Lastly, Slovenia also has two national repertory theatres dedicated to producing puppetry; Lutkovno gledalisce Ljubljana and Lutkovno gledalisce Maribor.
First theatrical performances in Slovenia date all the way back to the 18th century. Between 1715 and 1727, Passion procession play was performed in the town of Skofja Loka. However, the first play written and performed in Slovene is Županova Micka by Anton Tomaž Linhart, which premiered on 28 December 1789. The play was very influential in the formation of national cultural and linguistic identity. Slovenia at the time was not a sovereign country, and Slovene was not recognized as a language. The majority of literary works and business transactions were conducted in German, and Slovene playwriting, as well as discussions regarding the nature of Slovene identity, were closely connected with the formation of theatre. In 1879 a Dramatic Society was formed in Ljubljana as a formal attempt to professionalize and institutionalize theatre and playwriting in Slovenia. Between 1879 and 1941, there are several initiatives leading towards the professionalization of Slovene theatre; the first theatre venue is opened in Ljubljana before the end of 19.century, and the Drama Society operates as a kind of three-pronged organization under one umbrella. There are research and international dialogue forming a sort of institute-like branch, there is an early drama school educating performers, and a repertory theatre with a year-long full season. Between 1920 and 1941, the government tries to suppress the theatre, which springs back to life after 1941, when Slovenia joins Yugoslavia. In 1952 additional seven professional repertory theatres are founded by the national government and large municipalities who both provide ongoing long-term funding. The late 50's, 60's and 70's mark the time of a new wave of experimental, independent theatre in Slovenia.
Visual arts, architecture and design
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The Sower (1907), by the Impressionist painter and musician Ivan Grohar, became a metaphor for the Slovenes[14][15] and was a reflection of the transition from a rural to an urban culture.[16]
Slovenia's visual arts, architecture, and design are shaped by a number of architects, designers, painters, sculptors, photographers, graphics artists, as well as comics, illustration, and conceptual artists. The most prestigious institutions exhibiting works of Slovene visual artists are the National Gallery of Slovenia and the Museum of Modern Art.
Slovenia, like most of Central Europe, boasts architectural styles from many periods and styles, specifically those connected to Austrian, Venetian and Hungarian historical states. Modern architecture in Slovenia was introduced by Max Fabiani, and in the mid-war period further by Jože Plečnik, whose works in Slovene capital Ljubljana received UNESCO recognition and shaped towns even outside of Slovenia, and Ivan Vurnik.[17] In the second half of the 20th century, the national and universal styles were merged by the architects Edvard Ravnikar and Marko Mušič.
A number of conceptual visual art groups were formed, including OHO, Group 69, and IRWIN. Nowadays, the Slovene visual arts are diverse, based on tradition, reflect the influence of neighbouring nations, and are intertwined with modern European movements.[19]
Elan SCX is one of the best industrial design items that changed the world ski industry. They were designed by the internationally known Slovenian Elan company. Elan skis were depicted, even before Elan SCX, in the 1985 James Bond, film series part A View to a Kill with Roger Moore. In the romantic comedy film Working Girl, Katharine Parker (Sigourney Weaver) was depicted as skiing on the RC ELAN model skis and poles.
Graphics
During World War II, numerous graphics were created by Božidar Jakac, who helped establish the post-war Academy of Visual Arts in Ljubljana.
Many generations of children have been educated by the technical and science illustrations created by Božo Kos and published in Slovenian children's magazines, such as Ciciban.
Recently, Lila Prap's illustrations gained popularity in Japan, where children's cartoons based on her illustrations have been televised.
The sculpture of the poet Valentin Vodnik (1758–1819) was created by Alojz Gangl in 1889 as part of Vodnik Monument, the first Slovene national monument.
In 1841, Janez Puhar (1814–1864) invented a process for photography on glass, recognized on 17 June 1852 in Paris by the Académie Nationale Agricole, Manufacturière et Commerciale.[21]Gojmir Anton Kos was a notable realist painter and photographer between First World War and WW II.
^Smrekar, Andrej. "Slovenska moderna" [Slovene Early Modernism] (in Slovenian). National Gallery of Slovenia. Archived from the original on 26 October 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
^Naglič, Miha (6 June 2008). "Je človek še Sejalec" [Is a Man Still a Sower]. Gorenjski glas (in Slovenian). Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
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