National Theatre (Prague) facts for kids
| Národní divadlo | |
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| Address | Národní 223/2 |
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| Location | Prague, Czech Republic |
| Coordinates | 50°4′52″N 14°24′48″E / 50.08111°N 14.41333°E |
| Owner | Ministry of Culture |
| Capacity | 986 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 11 June 1881 |
| Reopened | 18 November 1883 |
| Rebuilt | 1977–1983 |
| Architect | Jakub Klusák, Jan Muchna |
The National Theatre (called Národní divadlo in Czech) is a famous opera house in Prague, Czech Republic. It's like a special home for Czech opera and a national treasure for Czech history and art.
This theatre is one of the most important cultural places in the Czech Republic. It has a long history of art that helped keep the Czech language and Czech music and plays alive and growing.
Today, the National Theatre has three main groups of performers: opera singers, ballet dancers, and actors. They perform in the historic National Theatre building, the State Opera, the Estates Theatre, and the Kolowrat Theatre. These groups perform both classic and modern works.
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Building the National Theatre
The idea for a Czech theatre started in 1844. In 1845, František Palacký asked for permission to build a Czech theatre. Permission was granted, but it took six more years for people to start collecting money.
In 1852, the money collected helped buy land by the Vltava river. This spot offered amazing views of Prague Castle. However, the land was a bit small and oddly shaped, which made designing the building tricky.
The Provisional Theatre
Because of political changes, a smaller, temporary theatre was built first. This "Provisional Theatre" opened on November 18, 1862. The famous opera The Bartered Bride had its first performance here on May 30, 1866.
This temporary building later became part of the final National Theatre. You can still see its outer walls in the back of the main building today.
Designing the Main Building
Young, forward-thinking people wanted a grander theatre. In 1865, they asked Josef Zítek, a 33-year-old professor, to design the National Theatre. He won a competition, and construction began in 1867.
The first stone was laid on May 16, 1868. By 1875, the building reached its full height, and the roof was added in 1877. Artists competed to decorate the inside, following themes of Czech history and mythology.
The theatre features a "triga" (a sculpture of three horses) and 10 outdoor statues by Bohuslav Schnirch. There are also 10 more outdoor pieces by Antonín Pavel Wagner.
Grand Opening and Fire
The National Theatre first opened on June 11, 1881. This was to celebrate the visit of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria. Bedřich Smetana's opera Libuše had its world premiere that day.
After 11 more performances, the theatre closed for final touches. But on August 12, 1881, a fire broke out. It destroyed the copper dome, the audience area, and the stage.
A Nation Rises Again
The fire was a huge disaster for the nation. But people quickly came together to raise money again. In just 47 days, they collected a million florins!
Architect Josef Zítek was no longer involved in the reconstruction. His student, Josef Schulz, took over. Schulz decided to expand the theatre by including a nearby apartment building. He also made small changes to the audience area to improve views. Schulz carefully matched Zítek's original style, making three different buildings look like one unified theatre.
Reopening and Modern Times
The new interior artwork was created by Mikoláš Aleš and František Ženíšek. The National Theatre officially reopened on November 18, 1883. It had modern features like electric lights and a steel stage.
The theatre served for almost 100 years without major changes. On April 1, 1977, it closed for six years for a big reconstruction.
Architect Zdeněk Vávra led this large project. The work was finished just in time for the theatre's 100th anniversary. On November 18, 1983, the theatre reopened with another performance of Smetana’s Libuše.
Today, the beautiful historic building has a modern addition with offices and the main ticket office. It is the main stage for the National Theatre's drama, opera, and ballet groups.
In 1989, the theatre's director, Jiří Pauer, was removed from his job. This happened because he supported the old Communist government. He even locked staff out of the theatres to stop protests. After a three-week strike, Ivo Žídek became the new director.
How the Theatre is Managed
At first, a private group of people supported the National Theatre. They had a director manage things for them. Sometimes, they faced money problems, but it didn't stop the theatre from growing.
In 1900, a new company took over the theatre's management. This new group was more open to fresh ideas. Karel Kovařovic became the opera director. He made big improvements to the orchestra, chorus, and solo singers. He also brought in famous singers like Karel Burian.
After Kovařovic passed away in 1920, Otakar Ostrčil continued to lead the theatre in new artistic directions. He also oversaw a complete update of the stage designs.
The National Theatre is currently overseen by a director and an advisory group called the Council of the National Theatre. This council has 11 to 13 members who help guide the theatre.
Komerční banka Award
Since 2005, Komerční banka has given awards to the best performances at the National Theatre. These awards are given in three categories: ballet, drama, and opera.
The winners receive a special statue designed by Jaroslav Róna and 100,000 Czech koruna (about €4,000). The first award ceremony was held on October 26, 2006, at the National Theatre.
See also
In Spanish: Teatro Nacional (Praga) para niños
- National Theatre Ballet (Prague)
