The National Theatre in Prague

Prague

Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

 is known as the Alma Mater

Alma mater

Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...

 of Czech opera

Opera

Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

, and as the national monument of Czech history and art.

The National Theatre

Theatre

Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...

 belongs to the most important Czech cultural institutions, with a rich artistic tradition which was created and maintained by the most distinguished personalities in Czech society. This tradition helped to preserve and develop the most important features of the nation–the Czech language

Czech language

Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...

 and a sense for a Czech musical and dramatic way of thinking.

Today the National Theatre consists of three artistic ensembles–opera, ballet

Ballet

Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...

 and drama

Drama

Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...

–which alternate in their performances in the historic building of the National Theatre, in the Theatre of the Estates and in the Kolowrat Theatre. All three artistic ensembles select their repertoire not only from the rich classical heritage

Culture of the Czech Republic

This article is about the culture of the Czech Republic.-Festivities and traditions:Czech people celebrate Christmas every year, beginning with a dinner on 24 December. The tables for this dinner can only be set for an even number of guests, because an odd number will bring bad luck...

, but in addition to local authors they focus their attention on modern world output.

Initial design and construction, 1844 to 1881

The National Theatre is the embodiment of the will of the Czech nation for its national identity and independence. Collections of money among the broad masses of the people facilitated its construction, and so the ceremonious laying of the foundation stone on May 16, 1868, was tantamount to an all-state political demonstration.

But the idea of building a dignified edifice to serve as a theatre matured in the autumn of 1844 at the gatherings of patriots in Prague and began to be implemented by an application submitted by František Palacký

František Palacký

František Palacký was a Czech historian and politician.-Biography:...

 to the Provincial Committee of the Czech Assembly on January 29, 1845, having requested "the privilege of constructing, furnishing, maintaining and managing" of an independent Czech theatre. The privilege was granted in April 1845. But it was not until six years later – in April 1851 – that the founding Society for the Establishment of a Czech National Theatre in Prague made the first public appeal to start a collection. A year later the proceeds went toward the purchase of land belonging to a former salt works covering an area of not quite 28 acres (11.3 ha) which determined the magnificent site of the theatre on the banks of the river Vltava

Vltava

The Vltava is the longest river in the Czech Republic, running north from its source in Šumava through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice, and Prague, merging with the Elbe at Mělník...

 facing the panorama of Prague Castle

Prague Castle

Prague Castle is a castle in Prague where the Kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices. The Czech Crown Jewels are kept here...

, but at the same time the cramped area and trapezium

Trapezoid

In Euclidean geometry, a convex quadrilateral with one pair of parallel sides is referred to as a trapezoid in American English and as a trapezium in English outside North America. A trapezoid with vertices ABCD is denoted...

 shape posed challenging problems for the designers of the building.

The era of Bach

Baron Alexander von Bach

Baron Alexander von Bach was an Austrian politician...

 absolutism brought to a halt preparations for the envisaged theatre and supported the concept of a modest provisional building, which was erected on the south side of the theatre parcel by architect Ignac Ullmann and opened on November 18, 1862. The building of the Provisional Theatre then became a constituent part of the final version of the National Theatre; its outside cladding is visible to this day in the elevated section of the rear part of the building, and the interior layout was only obliterated following the latest reconstruction of the National Theatre in 1977 - 1983. Simultaneously with the realization of this minimal programme asserted by F.L. Rieger and the Provincial Committee, the young progressive advocates of the original ambitious concept of the building (Sladkovský, Tyrš, Neruda

Jan Neruda

Jan Nepomuk Neruda was a Czech journalist, writer and poet, one of the most prominent representatives of Czech Realism and a member of "the May school".-Early life:...

, Hálek) launched an offensive. In 1865 these men attained leading positions in the Society and requested the 33-year old professor of civil engineering at the Prague Technical College, architect Josef Zítek

Josef Zítek

Josef von Zitek was a Czech architect and engineer best known for two neo-Renaissance landmarks in Prague, the National Theater and the Rudolfinum....

, to draft a design for the National Theatre. He then came out on top in a later-declared open competition, and in 1867 construction work began. On May 16, 1868, the foundation stone was laid, and in November the foundations were completed. In 1875 the new building reached its full height and in 1877 the theatre was roofed over. As of 1873 there was an ongoing competition for the interior decoration of the building, the scenario of which had been elaborated by a special commission under the leadership of Sladkovský. On the one hand, the themes were in the spirit of the Neo-Renaissance

Neo-Renaissance

Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...

 concept of a classic building. On the other hand, they were inspired by the current enthusiasm for Slavonic mythology and the stories of the Manuscripts; both of these concepts were based on Josef Mánes

Josef Mánes

Josef Mánes was a Czech painter.He was taught by his father, Antonín Mánes , who was a landscape painter and the professor of arts; in addition, he was the nephew of Václav Mánes, and brother of Quido Mánes and Amalie Mánesová, all of whom were also painters...

' paintings and connected with the contemporary style of romantic landscape painting (also linked to Czech history). They provided the fundamental ideology guiding artistic expression, which today is described as the art of the generation of the National Theatre.

The theatre includes a triga (a three-horse quadriga

Quadriga

A quadriga is a car or chariot drawn by four horses abreast . It was raced in the Ancient Olympic Games and other contests. It is represented in profile as the chariot of gods and heroes on Greek vases and in bas-relief. The quadriga was adopted in ancient Roman chariot racing...

) and 10 exterior allegorical sculptures by Bohuslav Schnirch

Bohuslav Schnirch

Bohuslav Schnirch , was a Czech sculptor perhaps best known for his architectural sculpture. Schnirch sculpted 10 of the 20 roof statues, and the interior sculpted pediment, on Josef Zítek's 1881 National Theatre ....

, 10 more exterior pieces by Antonín Wagner, the stone pieces by Max Verich and an interior sculpted pediment group over the proscenium arch by Schnirch.

Grand opening

The National Theatre was opened for the first time on June 11, 1881, to honour the visit of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria

Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria

Rudolf , archduke of Austria and crown prince of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia, was the son and heir of Franz Joseph I, emperor of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia, and his wife and empress, Elisabeth...

. Another 11 performances were presented after that. Then the theatre was closed down to enable the completion of the finishing touches. While this work was under way a fire broke out on August 12, 1881, which destroyed the copper dome, the auditorium and the stage of the theatre.

The fire was seen as a national catastrophe and was met with a mighty wave of determination to take up a new collection: Within 47 days a million gulden

Austro-Hungarian gulden

The Gulden or forint was the currency of the Austrian Empire and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire between 1754 and 1892 when it was replaced by the Krone/korona as part of the introduction of the gold standard. In Austria, the Gulden was initially divided into 60 Kreuzer, and in Hungary, the...

s were collected. This national enthusiasm, however, did not correspond to the behind-the-scenes battles that flared up following the catastrophe. Architect Josef Zítek was no longer in the running, and his pupil architect Josef Schulz

Josef Schulz

Josef Schulz, also spelled Joseph Schultz , was a German soldier of the 714th Infantry Division stationed in the Balkans, Serbia during World War II. He died in 1941, allegedly executed after refusing to take part in a partisan execution. The German High Commandrecorded him as killed in action....

 was summoned to work on the reconstruction. He was the one to assert the expansion of the edifice to include the block of flats belonging to Dr. Polák that was situated behind the building of the Provisional Theatre. He made this building a part of the National Theatre and simultaneously changed somewhat the area of the auditorium to improve visibility. He did, however, take into account with utmost sensitivity the style of Zítek’s design, and so he managed to merge three buildings by various architects to form an absolute unity of style.

Reconstruction and reopening, 1883 to 1977

The interior artwork was done by Mikoláš Aleš

Mikoláš Aleš

Mikoláš Aleš , was a Czech painter.-Biography:Aleš was born in Mirotice near Písek, into a relatively rich family that was in debt at the time. He was taught history by his brother František until the latter's death in 1865; he expressed interest in painting at an early age...

 and František Ženíšek

František Ženíšek

František Ženíšek was a Czech painter known best for his famous decorations of the Prague National Theatre foyer along with Mikoláš Aleš. In addition he painted the ceiling of the auditorium inside the theatre. He also contributed to the redecoration of the Prague National Museum.-References:...

. The building of the National Theatre was inaugurated on November 18, 1883, with a performance of Smetana

Bedrich Smetana

Bedřich Smetana was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style which became closely identified with his country's aspirations to independent statehood. He is thus widely regarded in his homeland as the father of Czech music...

’s festive opera Libuše

Libuše

Libuše, Libussa or, historically Lubossa, is a legendary ancestor of the Přemyslid dynasty and the Czech people as whole. Libuše was the wisest of the three sisters and prophesied the foundation of Prague from her castle Libušín...

, composed for this occasion. The building, with perfect technical equipment (electric illumination, a steel-constructed stage), served without any extensive modifications for almost one hundred years. It was only on April 1, 1977, following a performance of the Lantern by Jirásek

Alois Jirásek

Alois Jirásek was a Czech writer, author of historical novels and plays. Jirásek was a secondary-school teacher until his retirement in 1909. He wrote a series of historical novels imbued with faith in his nation and in progress toward freedom and justice...

, that the theatre was closed down for six years.

Additional reconstruction, 1977 to 1983 and after

Architect Zdeněk Vávra was appointed to take charge of the overall reconstruction work. This extensive project was combined with the completion of work on the entire setting of the theatre. The work was completed to meet an important deadline, which was the date of the 100th anniversary of the opening of the National Theatre: November 18, 1983. On that day the theatre was handed over to the public again with a performance of Smetana’s Libuše.

Nowadays this historic, extremely prestigious and beautiful building, together with the annex of a modern office building that also includes the main box office, represents the main stage of the three artistic ensembles of the National Theatre: the drama, opera and ballet.

In 1989 the general director of the National Theatre, composer Jiří Pauer

Jirí Pauer

Jiří Pauer was a Czech composer.Pauer studied first with Otakar Šín, then from 1943 to 1946 at the Prague Conservatory with Alois Hába, and finally with Pavel Bořkovec at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. He later taught for many years at the Academy where his pupils included composer...

 was dismissed from his post because of his support for the policies of the former Communist Czechoslovak government. Pauer locked all staff out of the National and Smetana theatres on 17 November 1989 to prevent members of the opera, ballet and drama companies from staging protest performances. After a three-week strike Pauer was replaced by Ivo Žídek

Ivo Žídek

Ivo Žídek was a celebrated Czech lyric tenor, known for his vivid portrayals of character roles in the operas of Smetana, Dvorák and Janáček.-Early life:...

.

Komerční banka Award

On May 4, 2005, Komerční banka

Komercní banka

Komerční banka is one of the main banks in the Czech Republic. It serves about 1.5 million customers in more than 350 branches.The bank was founded in 1990 following separation of commercial activities from the former Státní banka československá . In 1992, the bank was partially privatized in...

 signed an agreement with the National Theatre in Prague to annually honor the most prominent acts performed at the Czech National Theatre in overall three categories - ballet, drama and opera.
Apart from a statue designed by the academic Jaroslav Róna

Jaroslav Róna

Jaroslav Róna is a Czech sculptor, painter, actor, educator, and writer.-Works:*Franz Kafka bronze statue, Dusni Street , historic Jewish Quarter, Prague; inspired by the events in the Description of a Struggle*The Angel Award statuette *The Komerční banka Award statuette*Book, Umanuté kresby,...

, each winner also receives an amount of 100,000 Czech korun

Czech koruna

The Czech koruna or Czech crown has been the currency of the Czech Republic since 8 February 1993 when, together with its Slovak counterpart, it replaced the Czechoslovak koruna at par....

(approx. €4,000 as of March 2011). The first ceremony was held on October 26, 2006 at the stage of the National Theatre.

External links

• TACE – entry in TACE database