Winners of 'Judita' award announced for 72nd Split Summer Festival

The recipients of the prestigious 'Judita' award, recognizing outstanding artistic achievements at the 72nd Split Summer Festival, have been revealed. Although the festival's closing ceremony was postponed, the winners for best dramatic and musical performances have been determined.

Actor Marjan Nejašmić Banić has been awarded the 'Judita' prize for his compelling portrayal of Munu in Marin Držić's play 'Skup,' directed by Paolo Magelli. The jury praised Banić for his serious and consistent approach to the character, a witty servant central to the play's action and comedy. They noted his ability to navigate the genre's constraints while confirming the character's dramatic and performative significance. His performance was characterized by expressive movement and a rich physicality, transforming the stage into a vibrant space of fiction and successfully avoiding common theatrical pitfalls.

In the musical category, Slovenian conductor Simon Krečič has been honored for his exceptional direction of Giuseppe Verdi's opera 'Don Carlo.' Krečič, the artistic director of the Opera of the Slovenian National Theatre Maribor, led the performances on July 14 and 16, 2026. The jury commended his masterful handling of the monumental opera within the unique setting of the ancient Protiron. Under his baton, the complex orchestral fabric achieved crystalline clarity, with impeccable balance between the orchestra, the choir of the Croatian National Theatre Split, and the soloists.

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Tipičnosti svoga lika Munua, sluge dovitljivca, renesansnoga agensa dramske radnje i komike, Marjan Nejašmić Banić pristupio je ozbiljno i dosljedno, napinjući zadani mu žanrovski obrazac i potvrđujući njegovu dramaturšku i performativnu važnost. Razvedenim scenskim pokretom i raskošnom tjelesnošću izvedbe kazališni je prostor pretvorio u živi prostor scenske fikcije, uspješno izbjegavajući jednu od velikih zamki kazališta na otvorenome. Karikaturalnu fizičnost uskladio je s neočekivanom emocionalnom suptilnošću lika, oblikujući, prema ocjeni suda, punokrvnu i pamtljivu ulogu.

The jury highlighted Krečič's conducting gesture and commanding presence, which provided the opera with a strong dramatic arc and maintained tension from the opening scene to the finale. This award recognizes his outstanding professionalism and artistic vision, which significantly contributed to the performance's impact and reach, solidifying his reputation as a conductor of exceptional potential and authority.

The formal presentation of the 'Judita' awards to the recipients will take place at the beginning of the new theater season at the Croatian National Theatre Split. Further details regarding the ceremony will be announced later.

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Simon Krečič se zahtjevnom zadatku uprizorenja monumentalnog „Don Carla” u ambijentalnom prostoru antičkog Protirona nametnuo s izuzetnom sigurnošću i glazbenom inteligencijom. Njegovim je ravnanjem ostvarena kristalna preglednost složenog orkestralnog tkiva te besprijekorna ravnoteža orkestra, zbora Opere HNK Split i solističkog ansambla. Dirigentskom gestom i prominentnom osobnošću operi je dao snažan dramaturški luk, zadržavši napetost od prvog prizora do finala. Nagradom „Judita” ocjenjivački sud odaje priznanje za vrhunsku profesionalnost i umjetničku viziju kojom je maestro Krečič dao odlučujući doprinos dojmu i dosegu izvedbe te se potvrdio kao dirigent iznimnog potencijala i autoriteta.