Estates Theatre - where beauty and genius meet
Estate theatre (Stavovske divadlo) in Prague is one of the most beautiful theatres in Europe built in Classicist style and since its foundation it has stayed practically unchanged. It can be proud of the fact that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart introduced here his opera Don Giovanni for the first time.
Estate Theatre has changed its name many times as well as the owners. The founder of this theatre was very powerful man Count Nostic-Rienek who wanted to create a great theatre in opposition to Vienna Theatre. First play – civic tragedy Emailia Galotti by Lessing – was performed in Estates Theatre on 21 April 1783. Even though it was a Czech theatre, plays were performed in German language. First real play in Czech language was Vaclav Tham’s Bretislav a Jitka in 1786.
The date 29th October 1787 is a special date for Prague Estate Theatre. Mozart conducted here the world’s premiere of his opera Don Giovanni that had been partly composed in Prague. This great event is commemorated by a memorial plaque. Another premiere of Mozart’s opera, La Clemenza di Tito, was played here on the occasion of Leopold II.coronation.
In 1934 a musical comedy Fidlovacka was performed here for the first time. Its authors Josef Kajetan Tyl and Frantisek Skroup didn’t know at that time that one of the songs of this comedy Kde domov muj? (Where Is My Home?) would become the Czech national anthem.
Estates Theatre is connected with other great names, such as the leader of the theatre orchestra Carl Maria von Weber, singer Angelica Catalani, Niccolo Paganini, conductors Anton Rubinstein, Carl Goldmark, Gustav Mahler and many others.
If you want to enjoy the atmosphere of the place where so many great people performed, Estates Theatre in Prague offers nowadays a rich programme full of operas, dramas and ballet. Who knows, maybe you’ll see the future world famous star there.
Address: Ovocny trh, Praha 1
How to get there: it takes a few minutes of walk from Wenceslas Square (Metro yellow B and green A lines, station Mustek) to the direction of Old Town Square, at the end of the street Na Mustku turn right.
For more pictures see Estates Theatre photo gallery
Cultural Doings at the Estate Theatre
Opera Mozart at The Estates Theatre
The Mozart Opera initially concentrated on chamber opera, the change came in 1992 when they moved to The Estates Theatre, where they started to perform with great success. The theatre than became the homestage, which was about to last. The beautiful theatre Estates hosts the show ever since.
During those years since 1980’s, when most of other theatres offered only conservative operas, the ensemble became known as a proffessional artistic ensemble which, in spite of having given thousands of performances, is still maintaining an avant-garde approach to creation and to non- traditional productions.
Operas which can be heard at Estates aren’t limited for those famous pieces like Don Giovanni, Die Zauberflöte, or Cosi fan tutte, but there can be heard also not so known Mozart’s operas like la clemenza di Tito and Il re pastore.
The time of most performances of Mozart Opera is summer. The season attracts the most visitors. There are shows on everyday basis. For purchasing tickets online continue here