The National Theatre ( cs, Národní divadlo) in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

is known as the alma mater of Czech opera, and as the national monument of

Czech history The history of the Czech lands – an area roughly corresponding to the present-day Czech Republic – starts approximately 800,000 years BCE. A simple chopper from that age was discovered at the Red Hill ( cz, Červený kopec) archeological si ...

and art. The National Theatre belongs to the most important Czech cultural institutions, with a rich artistic tradition, which helped to preserve and develop the most important features of the nation–the

Czech language Czech (; Czech ), historically also Bohemian (; ''lingua Bohemica'' in Latin), is a West Slavic language of the Czech–Slovak group, written in Latin script. Spoken by over 10 million people, it serves as the official language of the Czech Re ...

and a sense for a Czech musical and dramatic way of thinking. Today the National Theatre consists of three artistic ensembles: opera,

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form ...

and drama. They 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 both from classical heritage, and modern authors.

Initial design and construction, 1844 to 1881

Establishment of the National Theatre in Prague 1851

The cornerstone of the National Theatre was laid on 16 May 1868, but the idea of building a theatre dates back to the autumn of 1844 at the gatherings of patriots in

. An application was submitted by František Palacký to the Provincial Committee of the Bohemian Assembly on 29 January 1845, requesting "the privilege of constructing, furnishing, maintaining and managing" of an independent Czech theatre. The application 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 which determined the magnificent site of the theatre on the banks of the river

Vltava Vltava ( , ; german: Moldau ) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, running southeast along the Bohemian Forest and then north across Bohemia, through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice and Prague, and finally merging with the Labe at ...

facing the panorama of

Prague Castle Prague Castle ( cs, Pražský hrad; ) is a castle complex in Prague 1 Municipality within Prague, Czech Republic, built in the 9th century. It is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic. The castle was a seat of power for king ...

, but at the same time the cramped area and trapezium shape posed challenging problems for the designers of the building. The era of von Bach 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

Vojtěch Ignác Ullmann Vojtěch Ignác Ullmann (23 April 1822 in Prague – 17 September 1897 in Příbram) was a Czech architect working in Revivalism architecture, particularly Renaissance Revival architecture. Life Ullmann studied architecture at the Academy of ...

and opened on 18 November 1862. The building of the

Provisional Theatre The Prague Provisional Theatre ( cz, Prozatímní divadlo, ) was erected in 1862 as a temporary home for Czech drama and opera until a permanent National Theatre could be built. It opened on 18 November 1862 and functioned for 20 years, during wh ...

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, 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 von Zítek (18321909) was a Czech architect best known for two Neo-Renaissance landmarks in Prague, the National Theatre and the Rudolfinum. On 16 May 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 Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range ...

concept of a classic building. On the other hand, they were inspired by the current enthusiasm for

Slavonic mythology Slavic mythology or Slavic religion is the Religion, religious beliefs, myths, and ritual practices of the Slavs before Christianisation of the Slavs, Christianisation, which occurred at various stages between the 8th and the 13th century. The So ...

and the stories of the

Manuscripts A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced i ...

; both of these concepts were based on

Josef Mánes Josef Mánes (12 May 1820, Prague – 9 December 1871, Prague) was a Czech painter. Life He came from a family of painters, which included his father Antonín, his uncle and Director of the Prague Art Academy Václav, his brother Quido and h ...

' 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 TRIGA (Training, Research, Isotopes, General Atomics) is a class of nuclear research reactor designed and manufactured by General Atomics. The design team for TRIGA, which included Edward Teller, was led by the physicist Freeman Dyson. Design ...

(a three-horse chariot) and 10 exterior allegorical sculptures by

Bohuslav Schnirch Bohuslav Bedřich Josef Schnirch (10 August 1845, Prague – 30 September 1901, Prague) was a Czech sculptor, designer and preservationist. Biography His father was the builder and engineer, and his great-uncle, Bedřich Schnirch, designed rail ...

, 10 more exterior pieces by

Antonín Pavel Wagner Antonín Pavel Wagner (3 July 1834, Dvůr Králové nad Labem – 27 January 1895, Vienna) was a Czech sculptor who spent most of his career in Vienna. Life and work His family was involved in the textile industry. After completing secondary sc ...

, 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 11 June 1881, to honour the visit of

Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria en, Rudolph Francis Charles Joseph , caption = Rudolf in 1887 , spouse = , issue = Elisabeth Marie, Princess Otto of Windisch-Graetz , house = Habsburg-Lorraine , father = Franz Joseph I of Austria , mother ...

Bedřich Smetana Bedřich Smetana ( , ; 2 March 1824 – 12 May 1884) was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style that became closely identified with his people's aspirations to a cultural and political "revival." He has been regarded i ...

's opera ''

Libuše , Libussa, Libushe or, historically ''Lubossa'', is a legendary ancestor of the Přemyslid dynasty and the Czech people as a whole. According to legend, she was the youngest but wisest of three sisters, who became queen after their father died; ...

'' was given its world premiere, conducted by

Adolf Čech Adolf Čech (born Adolf Jan Antonin Tausik; 11 December 184127 December 1903) was a Czech conductor, who premiered a number of significant works by Antonín Dvořák (the 2nd, 5th and 6th symphonies, more than any other conductor; other importan ...

. 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 12 August 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

florin The Florentine florin was a gold coin struck from 1252 to 1533 with no significant change in its design or metal content standard during that time. It had 54 grains (3.499 grams, 0.113 troy ounce) of nominally pure or 'fine' gold with a purc ...

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 (1909/1910 – 20 July 1941), also spelled Joseph Schultz, was a German soldier of the 714th Infantry Division stationed in German-occupied Serbia during World War II. He died in 1941, allegedly executed after refusing to take part ...

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

Praha, Nové město, Laterna magika v noci II

The interior artwork was done by

Mikoláš Aleš Mikoláš Aleš (18 November 1852 – 10 July 1913) was a Czech painter. Aleš is estimated to have had over 5,000 published pictures; he painted for everything from magazines to playing cards to textbooks. His paintings were not publicized to ...

and

František Ženíšek František Ženíšek (25 May 1849 – 15 November 1916) was a Czech painter. He was part of the "" (Generation of the National Theater), a large group of artists with nationalistic sympathies. Biography He was born in Prague into a family of ...

. The building of the National Theatre was inaugurated on 18 November 1883. 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 1 April 1977, following a performance of the ''Lantern'' by Jirásek, 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: 18 November 1983. On that day the theatre was handed over to the public again with a performance of Smetana’s ''Libuše''. The historic building, noted for its beautiful architecture, also includes an annex of modern design which contains offices and the main box office. Today it functions as the main stage of the three artistic ensembles of the National Theatre: drama, opera and ballet. In 1989 the general director of the National Theatre, composer

Jiří Pauer Jiří Pauer (22 February 1919 in Libušín, Czechoslovakia – 28 December 2007 in Prague, Czech Republic) was a Czech composer. Pauer studied first with Otakar Šín, then from 1943 to 1946 at the Prague Conservatory with Alois Hába, and fina ...

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 (4 June 1926, Kravaře – 20 May 2003, Prague) was a Czech lyric tenor, known for his vivid portrayals of character roles in the operas of Smetana, Dvořák and Janáček. Early life Ivo Žídek was born in Kravaře, Czechoslova ...

Management

At first the National Theatre was supported by a private guild of individuals with a director managing its affairs on behalf of the guild. Lack of subsidy caused some financial and artistic difficulties, but without long-term damage to the growth or status of the institution.Eckstein, Pavel. Prague's National Opera. ''

Opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

'', August 1964, Vol 15 No 8, p517-524. In 1900 the contract for the guild which had steered the theatre through its early years was not renewed by the regional government, and as a result of growing dissatisfaction with the artistic levels, the National Theatre transferred its management to a new National Theatre Company. In addition, most of the people associated with the guild were considered to be conservative in outlook, while the new Company were liberals, receptive to fresh ideas. The composer

Karel Kovařovic Karel Kovařovic (Prague, 9 December 1862 Prague, 6 December 1920) was a Czech composer and conductor. Life From 1873 to 1879 he studied clarinet, harp and piano at the Prague Conservatory.''Dopisy o životě hudebním i lidském, p. 484'' H ...

was made opera director, and as a conductor, his work became noticeable in improvements in the orchestra, chorus and solo ensemble. He also attracted leading singers to the ensemble, such as

Karel Burian Karel may refer to: People * Karel (given name) * Karel (surname) * Charles Karel Bouley, talk radio personality known on air as Karel * Christiaan Karel Appel, Dutch painter Business * Karel Electronics, a Turkish electronics manufacturer * Gr ...

(later a Wagnerian tenor at Bayreuth),

Otakar Mařák Otakar Mařák (5 January 1872 Esztergom, Hungary – 2 July 1939 Prague) was a Czech opera singer (a tenor), and a nephew of Julius Mařák, who perfected his vocal skills at Prague's School of Applied Arts as well as at the Czech Academy ...

Emil Pollert Emil Pollert, born Emil Popper (20 January 1877, Liblice at Mělník – 23 October 1935, Prague) was a Czech opera singer at the National Theatre in Prague, in his time the main representative of bass roles. Life Pollert's talent was discove ...

, and Gabriela Horvatova. After the death of Kovařovic in 1920,

Otakar Ostrčil Otakar Ostrčil (25 February 1879 in Prague – 20 August 1935 in Prague) was a Czech composer and conductor. He is noted for symphonic works ''Impromptu'', ''Suite in C Minor'', and ''Symfonietta'', and in his opera compositions '' Poupě'' an ...

took over, continuing the progressive artistic direction and leading a thorough renovation of the stagings. He began with the first performance of '' The Excursions of Mr. Brouček'', and mounted Berg's

Wozzeck ''Wozzeck'' () is the first opera by the Austrian composer Alban Berg. It was composed between 1914 and 1922 and first performed in 1925. The opera is based on the drama '' Woyzeck'', which the German playwright Georg Büchner left incomplete at ...

immediately after its premiere, leading to a scandal and the threat of his dismissal. The National Theatre is overseen by the director, and the advisory body of the Council of the National Theatre. The advisory board has 11 to 13 members, who are appointed and dismissed by the director. Current members of the council include: JUDr. Pavel Smutný, Prof. Dr. Dadja Altenburg Pešta Kohl, Ing. Petr Dvořák, Ing. Jiří Maceška, JUDr. Vlasta Formánková, Ing. Bohdan Wojnar, Prof. Ing. Jiří Drahoš, DrSc., dr.h.c., Pavel Kohout, Ing. Oldřich Černoch CSc. and Ing. Peter Palečka. In 2019 the National Theatre and State Opera in Prague were the place of protests and disruption by artists and staff, including an open letter complaining at the 'non-transparent' appointment of Per Boye Hansen as Artistic Director.

Komerční banka Award

On 4 May 2005,

Komerční banka Komerční banka (“KB”) is a major Czech bank and the parent company of KB Group, a member of the Société Générale international financial group. KB is a universal bank providing a wide range of services in retail, corporate and investme ...

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. The recipients of the KOBANADI Award (KOBANADI = KOmerční BAnka + NArodní DIvadlo) receive a statuette designed by the academic Jaroslav Róna, 100,000

Czech koruna The koruna, or crown, (sign: Kč; code: CZK, cs, koruna česká) has been the currency of the Czech Republic since 1993. The koruna is one of the European Union's 9 currencies, and the Czech Republic is legally bound to adopt the euro curre ...

(approx. €4,000 as of March 2011). The first ceremony was held on 26 October 2006 at the stage of the National Theatre.'Cena Komerční banky'
(in Czech) Retrieved 30 March 2011

References

External links

*
Prague National Theatre at Google Cultural InstituteNational Theatre (Národní divadlo)
on prague.eu {{Authority control Theatres completed in 1883 Prague, National Theatre (Prague) Opera houses in the Czech Republic Theatres in Prague Renaissance Revival architecture in the Czech Republic Music venues in Prague National Cultural Monuments of the Czech Republic Music venues completed in 1883 New Town, Prague