Theaters and Classical Music Venues

The cornerstone of the realization of the deep-seated and long-held Czech desire for independent nationhood and the preservation and celebration of the Czech language was laid with the cornerstone of the National Theater on May 16, 1868.

Built overlooking the Vltava River using funds entirely donated by the general populous in response to an all-call appeal for funds, and one of the first theaters in the Czech Republic to perform in Czech instead of German, the famed National Theater is a magnificent monument to the love of all things musical, dramatic, and of course Czech. A truly inspiring facade, complete with its golden crown and a beautiful angel in a chariot leaning forward and raising her arm to urge on her thundering horses (perhaps an allusion to the desire for a rapid surge forward to independence?), contributes to the sense of grandeur and majesty that makes the National Theater one of the most important landmarks along the skyline of Prague. The impressive interior has no detail spared in its quest for the tastefully opulent, and tours can be arranged. From the red velvet seats to the Bohemian crystal chandelier and the painted stage screen celebrating a scene from Czech history, to the ten allegories painted on the ceiling and the beautiful galleries where you can sip Bohemian Sekt at intermission, this is one building interior that is well worth taking in. The National Theater, which had its premiere in 1881, is the embodiment and culmination of the nation’s desire to celebrate the Czech language as well as its independent dramatic, artistic, and musical traditions, and its beauty is truly accessible to all. Alternating performances between drama, ballet, and opera and with ticket prices ranging from 50 CZK (last minute discount for university students) to 1000 CZK, there is surely something at the National Theater for everyone. The stage can be adequately seen from virtually every seat in the house (not excluding those 50- 100 CZK seats at the back of the house), as can the ever-important translator screen, which provides subtitles in Czech and English. Operas are performed in Czech, Italian, German and French. The performances are accompanied by world-class orchestral performances in keeping with Central Europe’s famed classical music traditions, to which the Czechs have contributed much. The National Theater’s repertoire features regularly performed classics including the Slavonic classic Rusalka, as well as world-class contemporary takes on old classic performances such as Hungarian choreographer Youri Vamos’ ingenious combination of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker with A Christmas Carol by Dickens that creates a playful and adventurous new twist on two holiday classics in his ballet The Nutcracker- A Christmas Carol. More contemporary, and typically Czech performances can be regularly seen at the more modern Nova Scena (The New Stage) adjacent to the National Theater.