TRANSFORMATION OF THE CITY THROUGH MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE IN NOVELS KIŠA I HARTIJA BY VLADIMIR TASIĆ AND ŽIVOT PESNIKA BY SLOBODAN TIŠMA

Abstract

This paper will investigate the existence of dual aspects of a city: the external (visible) and the internal (invisible), as hero narratives transition from one to the next, whose journeys are facilitated with music and performance. An analysis of Kiša i hartija by Vladimir Tasić and Život pesnika by Slobodan Tišma provides insight into how music and performance greatly impact how a city is perceived. Additionally, it provides a glimpse into the metamorphosis of a “visible” city into one that is “invisible”, a transcendental, personal city. The visible, external city is a spacetime resembling a megacity, where the main characters are confined. In contrast, the invisible, internal city, which is both transcendental and personal, symbolizes a realm where liberty is attained and personal identity is safeguarded by those who roam this space. The conquest of such space and the transformation of a megalopolis into a “personal” city are achieved through music, how it is experienced, and performance, how it is executed.