Estates Theatre

Estates Theatre

The Estates Theatre or Stavovské divadlo in Prague is one of the oldest and most beautiful opera houses in Europe.

The Estates Theatre became part of the National Theatre in 1948. People from three different groups perform opera, ballet, and drama there. The same people also perform at the National Theatre (Národní divadlo), and the Theatre Kolowrat (Divadlo Kolowrat).

History

The Estates Theatre was built during the late 18th century. At first it was known as Count Nostitz’s Theatre. The theatre opened in 1783 with a performance of the tragedy Emilia Galotti by the German playwright Gotthold Lessing. It was built in the Neoclassical style. Today it is one of the very few theatres that have hardly changed since it was built.

Although the building is almost the same it always was, the organisation of the Estates Theatre has changed several times in its history. In 1798 it was called the Estates Theatre when it was bought by the Czech Estates. When the Provisional Theatre opened in 1862 the Estates Theatre started to put on German plays and the name was changed to the Royal Provincial German Theatre. From 1920 and 1948 it got its name (Estates Theatre) back again. In 1948 the organization became part of the National Theatre and was called Tyl Theatre (after dramatist J.K. Tyl). In 1990, after some restoration, it became known again as the Estates Theatre.

Productions and artistes

Many of the greatest artists worked or had their music or plays performed in the Estates Theatre. In 1787 the first performance took place of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera Don Giovanni. Mozart's opera La Clemenza di Tito was also staged there for the first time in celebration of the coronation of Emperor Leopold II. Other famous people who conducted there were Carl Maria von Weber and Gustav Mahler.

Czech plays were often performed there. This made people interested in performing in Czech and so, in 1848, the National Theatre was built.

Today the Estates Theatre is still famous for dramas, ballets and operas. The opera company especially perform the operas of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The movie about Mozart which was called Amadeus was filmed in the Estates Theatre.

Other websites

• Estates Theatre web site