Renowned theatrologist Jovan Ćirilov passes away

Renowned theatrologist Jovan Ćirilov passes away

Ćirilov was a founder of the Bitef festival, together with director Mira Trajilović, and playwright at Atelje 212. He received numerous awards for his contribution to the theatre.

He was an “erudite, polyglot, lexicographer, chronologist of the society and theater, modernist in constant war against conventions- one of the greatest personalities of the Serbian, Yugoslav and European culture, reads the JDP release.

As the Bitef selector, he was an extraordinary connoisseur of the world's theatre scene and brought to Belgrade the most renowned ensembles and directors (Brook, Bergman, Grotowski, Pina Bausch, Robert Wilson, Ronconi, Nuria Espert, Lyubimov, Dodin, the Living Theater).

Ćirilov authored novels, several collections of poems, theater essays, books of memories, anthologies of plays (the Serbian contemporary drama in English, the English and American contemporary drama, the shortest plays in the world) and dictionaries.

He translated the plays by Christopher Fry, Brecht, Genet, Stoppard, Sam Shepard, Mamet, Marber and musical “Hair”.

Jovan Ćirilov got two Sterija awards, for his critical work and lifetime achievement, the October award from the City of Belgrade for his entire achievement, the Joakim Vujić award for contribution to the Serbian theater, and France awarded him the distinction of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters.

He was a selector of the international festival in Nancy twice, and a member of the Mittelfest management in Cividale, Italy.

Ćirilov chaired the national commission for UNESCO (from 2001).