'An Ideal Husband' by Oscar Wilde, directed by Aleksandar Popovski, Closes a Successful Drama SeasonDrama — 20. May 2026.
The Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb announces the final drama premiere of the season — Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband, directed by Aleksandar Popovski. The premiere will take place on 5 June 2026 on the CNT main stage.
General Manager and Artistic Director of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, Dr Iva Hraste Sočo, stated: “An Ideal Husband is one of those plays that, through humour and Wilde’s brilliant language, speaks with remarkable precision about the world we live in today. We are especially pleased to close the season with this play, in collaboration with Aleksandar Popovski and our outstanding Drama ensemble.”
Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband, first performed 131 years ago, which is the very same year the building of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb was inaugurated,resonates today with the same provocative wit and political precision it possessed at the moment of its creation. In the story about the prominent politician Sir Robert Chiltern, his wife, and the Victorian high society, Wilde dissects the hypocrisy of the elite, corruption, marriage as a social construct, and political power as a space of manipulation and personal interest.
Artistic Director of Drama Tena Štivičić added:
“Wilde’s play today feels almost frighteningly contemporary. In a global society marked by collapsing systems of values and political opportunism, An Ideal Husband raises questions of morality, power, and public image in a way that is as sharp and relevant as it was more than a century ago. I am delighted that we are concluding the season with a production that brings together intelligent humour, powerful performances, and an exceptionally contemporary social commentary.”
The cast features Milan Pleština as Earl Caversham, Krešimir Mikić as Viscount Goring, Igor Kovač as Sir Robert Chiltern, Daria Lorenci Flatz as Lady Chiltern, Ana Begić Tahiri as Mrs Cheveley, Lana Barić as Miss Mabel Chiltern, Bojan Navojec as Phipps, Barbara Vicković as Lady Markby, Jelena Perčin as Mrs Marchmont, Luca Anić as Lady Basildon, and Kristijan Potočki as Tommy Trafford.
The production also features members of the CNT Ballet ensemble: Ivančica Alajbeg, Daria Brdovnik, Katarina Bužić, Vito Križnjak, Ovidiu Muscalu, Dan Rus / Gaitzka Andres Carcel Barett, Luna Jušić, Vera Kreitmeyer, Laura Leko, and Francesco Mezzoli.
Following the premiere on 5 June, performances are scheduled for 6, 10, 12, and 17 June 2026.
