Arthur, my therapist
The performance “Arthur, my therapist” is a reflection on the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer, inspired by the book “Treatment by Schopenhauer” by the American psychiatrist Irvin D. Yalom. The dynamics of the book and its interweaving of psychotherapy with the science of the famous philosopher reveal inner voices that tend to remain unregistered or unknown.
Schopenhauer’s starting point is the romantic theory of cognition, while the substance of all events is the principle of metaphysical “will”, manifested as a driving force in every emergent category, in human life and especially in art. Since the “will” in itself has no purpose or goal (it is an absolute principle that cannot be subject to a functional interpretation), according to Schopenhauer, life is an eternal movement without an inherent meaning, blind “will” constantly causes only disappointment and suffering to living beings. Knowing about “will” can, therefore, only lead to pessimism. Man, however, can overcome the “will” with a paradoxical effort and find his peace in ascetic composure. Artur Schopenhauer systematically elaborates on the romantic notion of the artist as a thinker and ascetic. A prominent place in the value system belongs to the philosophy of art. Art is an aesthetic representation of “will”, and its purest expression is the most abstract art: music.
Concept, Dramaturgy, Choreography: Sanja Petrovski
Performers, Co-choreographers: Marija Pehar, Patricia Gospić, Sanja Petrovski
Music: Lada Petrovski Ternovšek
Music Design: Korina Oltran, Tomislav Kraljević Shome
Light Design: Sanja Petrovski
Costume Design: Sanja Petrovski, Marija Šarić Ban
Set Design: Sanja Petrovski, Robert Košta
Poster and Booklet Design: Marijana Jakelić
Photographer: Adrijana Vidić
Sponsor: Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia
Thanks to: Zadar Puppet Theater, Zadar National Museum
Sanja Petrovski was born in 1957 in Šibenik. She graduated in Croatian language and literature at the University of Zadar. She gained her classical dance education at the International School of Ana Roje and Oskar Harmoš in Primošten and gained additional education in contemporary dance, modern ballet, jazz dance, biomechanics, and physical theater through a series of workshops and seminars in Croatia and Europe. As a ballet dancer, she worked at the Croatian National Theatre in Split, and as a dance pedagogue at the Dance Department of the B. Bersa School of Music in Zadar. Together with her colleague, Nives Šimatović Predovan, she founded the Zadar Dance Ensemble in 1991, in which she still works as a dancer, choreographer, and artistic director. With the Zadar Dance Ensemble in over 45 years of activity, she performed a series of full-length performances. In 2009, together with Petra Hrašćanec, she started the Monoplay festival, where she functions as the selector and artistic director to this day. In 2013, she founded the mini-festival Evening of Dancing Miniatures and created numerous dance-related exhibitions. Sanja is a member of the Association of Professional Dance Artists PULS, and an associate and critic on the portals Plesnascena.hr, Baleti.hr and Kazalište.hr. She is the winner of the Zadar City Award for notable achievements in the field of culture and contribution to the development of dance art.
