II. Cultural events

Theatres

1. National Theatre (opera and ballet)

Known as ”the Golden Chapel on the Vltava”, the theatre was built in 1868 with money donated by the nation.

2. Estates Theatre (opera, ballet and drama in English translation)

This was the first theatre in Prague to be built of stone. Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni had its premiere here in 1787.

3. State Opera House (opera and ballet)

Built in neo-Baroque style and opulently furnished; this was once the German Theatre.

4. The Music Theatre in Karlín (operetta)

5. Laterna Magica

A typical Czech combination of music, dance, film, mime and lighting effects.

6. Black Light Theatre

Light and shadow show combining music, dance and mime.

7. Puppet Theatre

Traditional puppet theatre using wonderfully-carved wooden puppets and featuring a modern puppet version of Don Giovanni.

Concerts

An unusually wide range of symphony and chamber orchestras, string quartets, soloists, organ recitals etc. Can be heard at these historical venues:

Rudolfinum

– home of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, this building is famous for the concerts it hosts during the annual Prague Spring music festival

Municipal House

– its Smetana Hall is a good example of Czech Art-Nouveau

Lichtenstein Palace

– a renovated Classical-style palace in Lesser Town

Nostic Palace

– a large Baroque building in the Lesser Town with a wonderful courtyard

Lobkowitz Palace

– located directly in the grounds of Prague Castle

Klementinum

– its Hall of Mirrors was once a famous Jesuit college

Stone Bell House

– this Old Town Square building has been rebuilt in its original Gothic style

National Museum

– concerts are held on its imposing staircase

Bertramka

– the villa where W.A.Mozart lived and composed

Churches

The following churches offer very good acoustics:
Kostel sv. Jiljí (St Giles’s Church), kostel sv. Martina ve zdi (St Martin’s-in-the-Wall), kostel sv. Jakuba (St James’s Church), kostel sv. Mikuláše – Malá Strana (St Nicholas’s Church in Lesser Town), kostel sv. Mikuláše – Staré Msto ( St Nicholas’s Church in the Old Town), kostel sv. Šimona a Judy (the Church of St Simeon and Judas), kostely v kláštee sv. Anežky (the churches in the Convent of St Agnes), kostel Matky boží ped Týnem (the Church of Our Lady of Týn), kostel sv. Havla (St Gall’s Church), Betlémská kaple (the Bethlehem Chapel), kostel sv. Františka (St Francis’s Church), kostel sv. Uršuly (St Ursula’s Church), kostel Panny Marie pod etzem (the Church of our Lady Below the Chain), kostel Panny Marie v Emauzích (the Church of the Virgin Mary at Emmaus), basilika sv. Jií na Pražském Hrad (St George’s Basilica at Prague Castle) and Loreta (the Loreto Church).