The story starts with a bit of envy. The National Theatre group was up the Danube in Novi Sad (the cultural hub of Austria-Hungary at the time) in 1868. It put on a performance in Belgrade, and Prince Michael enjoyed it a great deal. The order went out to set up something similar in Belgrade, and a company of artists was formed. The Prince, sadly, was assassinated later that year, so he didn't come close to living long enough to see his orders carried out.
A home for the group did open in 1869, and it's been open ever since. As you could imagine, a couple of world wars have done their share of damage to the place. But it keeps bouncing back. During the 78 days of air raids by NATO in 1999, the place stayed open - offering performances for 1 dinar. Those were dark days, but it was a proud moment for the facility.
There are a couple of halls for the complex, and opera, ballet and drama are all performed there.
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