One of the main items on our list of things to do and see whilst visiting Prague last month was to watch a performance of the Prague State Opera. As is usually my way, I researched what was on and how much the tickets were way prior to our visit. Prague State Opera has a comprehensive and easy-to-navigate ... Read review
In June and July 1967 the Hamburg opera ensemble toured North America, with visits to the ... more
World Exposition in Montreal (Canada) and New York. In addition to six modern works (including Jenufa and Mathis der Maler) the programme also featured Der Freischultz. In order to avoid any stylistic hiatus with the modern operas, the company decided to perform a concert version of Weber's work. The tour concept was an enormous success, with tickets being traded at black market prices.In August 1967 the company made the first of 13 recordings for television. Commissioned by NDR, the film and TV company Polyphon made use of original productions from Hamburg State Opera. Director Joachim Hess (opera director at Hamburg State Opera from 1967 to 1972) adapted the stage versions to the requirements of television. Made in January/February 1968, Der Freischutz was the third of the films to be released.
Richard Wagner was a one-man artistic movement, a figure so massive that his influence was ... more
felt by all of his contemporaries and all of his major successors.Wolfgang Weber's simple staging, muted colours, dark clouds, barren landscapes and simple shapes, succeeds in evoking clear middle ages symbolism. His staging does not impress by means of the spectacular, but underlines the dramatic sense embodied in the music, allowing the outstanding singers full scope to express themselves.This remarkable production, under Claudio Abbado, has a stellar cast. Cheryl Studer as Elsa, and Placido Domingo as Lohengrin (a role which he first performed on debut at the Hamburg State Opera in 1968, at the age of 27) are the cornerstone of a dream cast.
Opera in two acts - Libretto/Livret: Joseph von Sonnleithner with revision by Stephan von ... more
Breuning and George Friedrich Treitschke after Jean-Nicolas Bouilly's Leonore, ou L'amour conjugal.Leonard Bernstein's acclaimed 1978 performance of Beethoven's only opera have gone down in the annals as a landmark in Vienna State Opera history - brilliantly staged by the great Viennese producer Otto Schenk and featuring some of the most remarkable singers of the time.
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Advantages: Neo-classical architecture and wonderful entertainment. Disadvantages: Steps leading to entrance
...a performance of the Prague State Opera. As is usually my way, I researched what was on and how much the tickets were way prior to our visit. Prague State Opera has a comprehensive and easy-to-navigate website http://www.opera.cz. So having discovered what was playing whilst we were to be there, it was a decision as to whether to book online or try for tickets at the time. After Vienna and finding that we could pick up tickets from the touts for ... ...arrive.
Prague State Opera stands in Wenceslas Square opposite to the National Museum. According to the maps, it should be very easy to find with the metro station, Museum, being situated only minutes away. However, at the time of our visit, some sort of road works was taking place making the Opera House difficult to reach.
The Prague Opera House opened on 5th January 1888 as a German theatre built to rival the Czech ... more
One of the main items on our list of things to do and see whilst visiting Prague last month was to watch a performance of the Prague State Opera. As is usually my way, I researched what was on and how much the tickets were way prior to our visit. Prague State Opera has a comprehensive and easy-to-navigate website http://www.opera.cz. So having discovered what was playing whilst we were to be there, it was a decision as to whether to book online or try for tickets at the time. After Vienna and finding that we could pick up tickets from the touts for a small percentage of the cost online, I was tempted to wait. However, several articles stated that there had been a number of fraudulent tickets sold by touts resulting in several tourists’ disappointment and so I bought online.
Tickets can be pre-booked by telephone, fax, e-mail, or the Internet at the cost of 950 Czech Crowns (approx 24.00 pounds) for each ticket. Most reputable credit cards are accepted as well as of course cash. The opera will even deliver the tickets to your hotel for you to pick up when you arrive.
Prague State Opera stands in Wenceslas Square opposite to the National Museum. According to the maps, it should be very easy to find with the metro station, Museum, being situated only minutes away. However, at the time of our visit, some sort of road works was taking place making the Opera House difficult to reach.
The Prague Opera House opened on 5th January 1888 as a German theatre built to rival the Czech National Theatre. The theatre was then sold to the state in 1938 although the outbreak of WWII meant that very few concerts were staged at this time. Finally in 1992, it formally became known as the State Opera House. The Prague State Opera has published a book entitled The Prague State Opera – Theatre History in Pictures and Dates that records its history since it’s opening in 1888 till the end of the 2002/2003 season.
The building, designed by Viennese architects Helmer and Fellner, has a Neo-classical façade with two sets of columns supporting an ornate pediment featuring Dionysus, the god of wine, and Thalia, the muse of comedy.
A series of steps lead to the entrance doors. I'm not sure if there was another entrance suitable for disabled: there may have, I just don't know. Just inside is the foyer with box office directly facing you as you enter. To the left is the cloakroom where coats and bags etc can be left during the performance and collected at the end.
The auditorium is spacious with a high vaulted ceiling giving exceptional acoustic. Extensively refurbished in the 1980s, the red-velvet seats are comfortable and have plenty of legroom. Boxes line the sides of the auditorium and balcony seating circles above the rear stalls. It is richly decorated in a neo-rococo style with gilded stucco. The impressive central crystal chandelier gives the finishing touch to the glory. All in all an incredible sense of opulence and splendor is felt when you first enter the auditorium and this stays with you until you leave.
Refreshments are available during the intervals including coffee and alcohol – Champagne is just 40 kc (1 pound) a glass. There is no food served within the opera house itself but just next door is the Opera House Restaurent were pre-theatre meals can be had.
Prague Opera House is where Mozart premiered his opera Don Giovanni and was used to film the opera scenes for the film Amadeus.
The operatic performance we attended during our visit was that of Rigoletto performed by the Prague State opera and accompanied by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. It was a fantastic experience. I do recommend that you visit the opera if you visit Prague, it is a marvelous example of Prague National culture, a magnificent display of Neo-classical architecture, a taste of opulence and wonderful entertainment.
Advantages: spectacular scenery, history and culture, great people, good food Disadvantages: crowded in July and August, in winter during X-mas
the culture of central and eastern Europe. You will think about them when visiting Schönbrunn Palace or the Hofburg residence in Vienna, their castles in the countryside, even when visiting their other landmarks in Prague and Budapest. You will think about them when listening to famous orchestras like the Vienna Philharmonic performing in the StateOpera or at the Salzburg Festival. Their collections of famous paintings can be seen in the "Kunsthistorisches Museum", different foods and drinks bear their name, in short: though there is no more monarchy for almost a century, the "Kaisers" are still omnipresent...
As tradition is one element of the attractiveness of Austria, its beautiful countryside with the friendly people is another. Due to their hospitality every year millions of tourists swarm into the country, thus making it the major ...
herbb 25.11.2001 (02.07.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of General: Austria
Advantages: History, Architecture and Culture Disadvantages: Lots of walking, steep hills and cobbled streets
Wenceslas on horseback, the National Theater, The StateOpera and the National museum.
Throughout the whole of Prague are numerous souvenir shops all selling pretty much the same wares: Russian Dolls, silver, amber and glass. The basic unit of currency for Prague is the koruna divided into 100 haléru. At the time we visited last weekend, Ł1 was worth 43 Kc. These rates may vary substantially when you travel.
There are a variety of restaurants and cafes serving differing cuisine. A typical Czech dish is pork with potato dumplings and cranberries ? delicious. The prices vary but are generally very reasonable.
Entertainment has always played an important part in Prague?s cultural heritage. There are several theatres scattered around the city, the most prominent being the National Theatre in the new Town. Then of course there are the Prague ...
Advantages: Historic Scenic Clean Friendly Reasonably priced English spoken and understood widely Disadvantages: German signs a bit tricky for those with only english language
for us when I asked for his recommendation.
Incidentally his recommendation was to visit the Hass Haus in St Stephans square just opposite Stephansdom in the centre of Vienna. There is a restaurant on the top floor which is exquisite in terms of the food and the atmosphere. A restaurant's patrons are a good sign of its quality and when my Formula One fan of a girlfriend pointed out Nikki Lauder at the other table I knew we had come to the right spot. However to my delight when the bill came I did not need to own my own airline to afford the experience!
Historically the city has much to offer, the StateOpera, St Stephansdom, the Hapsburg Palaces, Spanish Riding School, Karlskirche and Mozarts home are all worth a visit. The shopping districts are impressive although not necesarily for the bargain hunter.
The cafes ...
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