Ethiopian National Theatre Abridged History

The Ethiopian National Theatre,which was used to be called the Haile Selassie I Theatre,and which before that has set out to be Cinema Marconi,holds an intertesting place in the history of Addis Ababa.

In 1946,the Municipality of Addis Ababa recruited a band with the main objective to play Ethiopian songs by soloists accompanied by a mordern orchestra,this was motivated by the infuence of western&eastern culture.On the other hand,Ethiopia was not to insulate itself against these trends,on the other,the Ethiopian traditional music should survive.thus began the process of the country and this in turn prompted the Government to set up a National Theatre.This was an innovation and aimed at preserving folk-music traditions of the country.

At the very center of the capital,the Italians had started to build Cinema Marconi,but they were expelled when it was only half completed.It became a dumping place for garbage.In 1955 the building was completed for the celebratoins of the Silver Jubilee of the coronation of His Imperial Majesty.The building rose from a ramshackle hall,which could seat some three hundred and fifty people or so to an imposing edifice which could seat an audience of 1260.

At present the Ethiopian National Theatre is organized into two Directorates,i.e.,the Theatre Directorate,and the Music Directorate.The Theatre Directorate has two performing groups while the Music Directorate comprises three modern and folk music groups,namely Izra Folk Music and Dance Groups ,Yared Modern Orchestra,Dawit POP Orcheatra and String Orcheatra.