Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.. (Winston Churchill)
Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.. (Winston Churchill)
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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.
Pictures of State Opera
Exterior
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Advantages: Historic Scenic Clean Friendly Reasonably priced English spoken and understood widely Disadvantages: German signs a bit tricky for those with only english language
OWENSKI 14.05.2001 ·
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