The National Theatre welcomes its 126th season with plans to introduce 17 new productions: six operas, eight dramas and three ballets. The first one of them, the opera, The Bartered Bride, directed by Magdalena Švecová, premieres as early as the 25th September.
In the middle of November 2008, there will be the first debute of the Kolowrat Theatre which brings us the Icelandic play The Day of Hope. It is the result of the collaboration between the Theatre of the City of Reykjavik and Prague National Theatre, who will then go on tour in Iceland. The first premiere in the Theatre of Estates will be an Israeli play Mikvah, a contemporary adaptation of the story of an orthodox Jewish community which is set in a female ritual bath.
Next year, in February, the National Theatre will commemorate the eightieth anniversary of the death of the composer, Leoš Janáček, and will introduce a Czech production of the drama by Brian Friel, Intimate Letters. The renowned Irish playwright wrote the drama about the relationship of the ageing composer to Kamila Stöslová. Janáček is played by Jiří Štěpnička and the stage is set to come alive with Janáček’s music in the interpretations given by the Eve quartet and Škampa’s quartet. For Janáček’s anniversary, the opera ensemble is preparing a new adaptation of his Makropoulos Affair, which will be directed by the American, Christopher Alden. The premiere of the baroque opera, Rinaldo, will act as a reminder of G. F. Händel as it is the 250th anniversary of his death.
In the middle of the coming theatre season the ND will introduce the famous Ibsen drama An Enemy of the People, directed by Ivan Rajmont with David Prachař in the leading role. Theatre enthusiasts can look forward to a novel adaptation of Zeyer’s dramatic poem, Radúz and Mahulena, directed by J. A. Pitínský. There is also the Czech world premiere of the distinguished Czech playwright Lenka Lagronová’s drama, Weeping, directed by Jan Kačer.
Also, during the coming season, the ballet ensemble will prepare the chamber project, Camouflage, with the renown choreographer, Jan Kodeta. There is the new production of Swan Lake adapted for stage by art chief executive of the Finnish National Ballet, Kenneth Greve. Also two choreographers, Jiří Kylián and Petr Zuska, are working on a ballet triad called Extrém.
…and something extra
Web address www.narodni-divadlo.czonline has received a new and refreshing look; enabling convenient access to the programme and news about the theatre and its history. The only bad news is that over the last five years, the prices of tickets have gone up, on average, at 18 percent. On the other hand the box office of the ND offers numerous discount tickets like the Loyalty Card, or discounts for students, or prepaid tickets.