projects
THEATRE
In 1982 Darko Rundek gained his diploma in theatre Directing from the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb with his graduation performance of America Hurray! by J.C. Van Italie.
He went on to direct a number of plays (They say the Owl Once Was the Baker’s Daughter; Three Slaps, Satires from Hekuba, No, Ballads of Petrica Kerempuh...), and also appeared occasionally as an actor.
Darko’s principal role in the theatre remains that of composer, with more than 30 productions to his credit, ranging from intimate children’s theatre to international touring performances.
Below are a few extracts.
| Treasure Island, Stevenson; Sailing (2:04) | |
| The Mariage, Gogol; For a Fistful of Roubles (2:11) | |
| The Funeral of the Ant, LaFontaine; Butterfly (1:30) | |
| Petrica Kerempuh, Krleža; Kalendarska (1:22) | |
| Eat me, Papin; The Desert (1:43) | |
| Pygmalion, Shaw; "Mr Higgins'" Laboratory (2:17) | |
| The White Parrot, Anonymous; Magic Garden 1 (1:28) | |
| The White Parrot, Anonymous; Magic Garden 2 (1:14) | |
| Doll Ship, Milena Marković, Dady (3:52) |
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| Doll Ship, Milena Marković, Older Sister (1:38) |
reviews
Novi list, 20 september 2008. Nenad Rizvanovic
Putting 'The Ballads of Petrica Kerempuh' to music is undoubtedly the most complex musical and artistic challenge of Darko Rundek's career, but this enormous effort has been rewarded. Rundek's soundtrack for 'Ballads' which has appeared on the Menart label, is an extraordinary musical release. Before the war, Rundek worked and experimented at Radio Zagreb's 3rd program, where he procured a clear idea of how recorded spoken literary text should sound and how to treat it musically.
Unfortunately it would take more than six hours to record the whole 'Ballads' text, so choices have been made respecting the needs of the theatre performance.
(...)
Rundek's 'Ballads of Petrice Kerempuha' can be taken as a part of the european experimental trend of fusioning literature and music which has already borne much interesting fruit.
(...)
(So, Rundek's monumental musical-literary work is, in a certain way,) ... a pioneering adventure.