National Theatre Brno
Workshop: When people say Janáček
Introduce students to Leoš Janáček in a fun way. Let them experience Janáček! What is Janáček's story? How did he live and create? What places in Brno are associated with him and how much was his personal life reflected in the musical works he created? A two-hour educational workshop format on the rehearsal stage of the Janáček Theatre, which will guide students through the milestones of Janáček's life and work using fun activities. Practical information: Workshop intended for 4th - 6th grades of elementary schools. Program length 2 hours. The price of the workshop for up to 20 participants is 2000 CZK, each additional person above this number pays an entrance fee of 100 CZK. Arrival through the service entrance to the Janáček Theatre. We ask that students come in comfortable clothing, during the program we also sit on the floor, create, etc.
Workshop: When people say Janáček
Introduce students to Leoš Janáček in a fun way. Let them experience Janáček! What is Janáček's story? How did he live and create? What places in Brno are associated with him and how much was his personal life reflected in the musical works he created? A two-hour educational workshop format on the rehearsal stage of the Janáček Theatre, which will guide students through the milestones of Janáček's life and work using fun activities. Practical information: Workshop intended for 4th - 6th grades of elementary schools. Program length 2 hours. The price of the workshop for up to 20 participants is 2000 CZK, each additional person above this number pays an entrance fee of 100 CZK. Arrival through the service entrance to the Janáček Theatre. We ask that students come in comfortable clothing, during the program we also sit on the floor, create, etc.
Workshop: When people say Janáček
Introduce students to Leoš Janáček in a fun way. Let them experience Janáček! What is Janáček's story? How did he live and create? What places in Brno are associated with him and how much was his personal life reflected in the musical works he created? A two-hour educational workshop format on the rehearsal stage of the Janáček Theatre, which will guide students through the milestones of Janáček's life and work using fun activities. Practical information: Workshop intended for 4th - 6th grades of elementary schools. Program length 2 hours. The price of the workshop for up to 20 participants is 2000 CZK, each additional person above this number pays an entrance fee of 100 CZK. Arrival through the service entrance to the Janáček Theatre. We ask that students come in comfortable clothing, during the program we also sit on the floor, create, etc.
Devil's Wall
Bedřich Smetana originally thought of a comic opera with librettist Eliška Krásnohorská. In the end, while composing his last completed opera, the composer found moments in the romantic text, inspired by an old legend about a wall of stones built by the devil on the river by the Vyšehrod monastery, that gave the whole story a different tone. Smetana's isolation in Jabkenice and his dismal health and depression were reflected in the individual characters, and the comicalness was replaced by the depth of their feelings. The humor did not disappear either, but it is combined with the desire for love, life wisdom, melancholy and devilish temptation, so that the main tone was a celebration of love, loyalty and dedication.
Hurvínek sells the Bride
Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.
Hurvínek sells the Bride
Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.
Hurvínek sells the Bride
Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.
How to make an opera? Workshop for the second grade of elementary and high schools
Where did opera originate? What is a libretto? Who is a stage manager? And what does a set designer need to know? You will learn this and much more at our workshop. Participants will learn about the opera genre, the process of creating a production, the operation of the theatre and the professions that work in the theatre. It also includes a taste of opera singing. Participants will experience several activities that will give them a glimpse into the workings of an opera theatre, the opera genre and its demands. The workshop also includes a short tour of the Janáček Theatre.
Music in the main role, that's how Dvořák's opera Jakobín could be summed up, because it is precisely it that can change the fate of all the characters in the opera. At the same time, Dvořák created a charming picture of a Czech town from the Enlightenment era populated by quirky figures of the music-loving teacher Benda, his stubborn daughter Terinka in love with the young teacher Jiřík, or the cocky burgrave Filip. Perhaps it was a fond memory of the circumstances of his own youth that brought so many charming, rich melodies, both playful and melancholic, to Dvořák's music, be it the famous scene of the school cantata, the duet "We wandered abroad" or Juliet's lullaby. What better opera to start the season falling under the Year of Czech Music with than Jakobín, which is Dvořák's tribute to Czech music and the people who love it above all else.
Devil's Wall
Bedřich Smetana originally thought of a comic opera with librettist Eliška Krásnohorská. In the end, while composing his last completed opera, the composer found moments in the romantic text, inspired by an old legend about a wall of stones built by the devil on the river by the Vyšehrod monastery, that gave the whole story a different tone. Smetana's isolation in Jabkenice and his dismal health and depression were reflected in the individual characters, and the comicalness was replaced by the depth of their feelings. The humor did not disappear either, but it is combined with the desire for love, life wisdom, melancholy and devilish temptation, so that the main tone was a celebration of love, loyalty and dedication.
Káťa Kabanová
The production by one of the world's best opera directors, Robert Carsen, had a successful premiere at the Janáček Brno Festival 2016. His productions, with their outstanding individual poetics, dramaturgical restraint and emotional, lively and extremely impressive theatre, have been in the repertoire of the most important opera houses for many years, be it La Scala in Milan, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Glyndebourne Festival in England or the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Káťa Kabanová is one of Carsen's five productions of Janáček's operas and was originally created for the Flemish Opera. Since its premiere, it has been performed in more than 20 opera houses around the world and it is no wonder that the production with its impressive scenography, where the water surface covers the entire stage and reflects Káťa's emotions and tragic fate, is one of Carsen's best works.
The Bartered Bride
How to sell a bride? Best through a production by director Ondřej Havelka. One of the most popular Czech operas, The Bartered Bride by Bedřich Smetana, has been in the repertoire of the Brno theatre for more than eighteen years and has still not lost any of its wit or audience popularity.
The Barber of Seville
Who doesn't know Figaro, the barber who not only gives you a beautiful haircut, but also willingly helps you with love troubles? Enjoy Rossini's brilliant melodies in a classic commedia dell'arte production directly from the Italian team.
Step behind the curtain with the opera orchestra
The opera orchestra hides in the so-called hole or orchestra pit during the performance. Now we have a unique opportunity to enjoy it on our own and find out how important a role it plays in an opera performance. What you should try to conduct it or play with it. Take a closer look at the opera! Take a Step Behind the Curtain with us. A program designed for all curious people, young and old, who want to learn something new from the world of opera theater. 70 minutes of interactive, adventurous and, most importantly, fun journey into the heart of opera music.
La traviata
Perhaps none of the participants in the Venetian premiere, which was a devastating fiasco, believed that they had just witnessed the birth of one of the most popular and most performed Italian operas. Verdi found a theme close to him in the novel about the love of the courtesan Violetta and Alfredo, which is not desired by his father or society. He knew the setting well – Paris, a city full of hustle and bustle, was never his favorite, and the tragic story reminded him of his own life experience. For years he had lived in a free union with the soprano Giuseppina Strepponi and felt firsthand the society's opposition to the "illegal" relationship. His personal experience undoubtedly enhanced the understanding and compassion for the main heroine, which permeate the entire opera... The clear lyrical music, where Italian bel canto is closely combined with dramatic expression, added poignancy to the tragic love story of the famous Parisian courtesan, thus giving rise to an opera evergreen.
A ballet of ballets that, at first sight, arouses addiction and interest in the ballet genre. Tchaikovsky's famous music, Petipa/Ivanov's legendary choreography and the story of Princess Odette, who is cursed into a swan, are a composition that thrills the hearts of generations of ballet spectators, regardless of age, all over the world.
How to make an opera? Workshop for the second grade of elementary and high schools
Where did opera originate? What is a libretto? Who is a stage manager? And what does a stage designer need to know? You will learn this and much more at our workshop. Participants will learn about the opera genre, the process of creating a production, the operation of the theater and the professions that work in the theater. It also includes a taste of opera singing. Participants will experience several related activities that will give them the opportunity to look behind the scenes at the functioning of the opera theater, the opera genre and its demands. The workshop also includes a short tour of the Janáček Theater.
Katya Kabanova
The production by one of the world's best opera directors, Robert Carsen, had a successful premiere at the Janáček Brno Festival 2016. His productions, with their outstanding individual poetics, dramaturgical restraint and emotional, lively and extremely impressive theatre, have been in the repertoire of the most important opera houses for many years, be it La Scala in Milan, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Glyndebourne Festival in England or the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Káťa Kabanová is one of Carsen's five productions of Janáček's operas and was originally created for the Flemish Opera. Since its premiere, it has been performed in more than 20 opera houses around the world and it is no wonder that the production with its impressive scenography, where the water surface covers the entire stage and reflects Káťa's emotions and tragic fate, is one of Carsen's best works.
Cinderella
All of us who know this fairy tale know which girl will eventually fall for Cinderella's lost slipper. Cinderella, the Prince, the wicked stepmother and the envious sisters come to life in a family fairy tale performance, accompanied by the beautiful music of Sergei Prokofiev in choreography tailored to our company and performers.
Devil's Wall
Bedřich Smetana originally thought of a comic opera with librettist Eliška Krásnohorská. In the end, while composing his last completed opera, the composer found moments in the romantic text, inspired by an old legend about a wall of stones built by the devil on the river by the Vyšehrod monastery, that gave the whole story a different tone. Smetana's isolation in Jabkenice and his dismal health and depression were reflected in the individual characters, and the comicalness was replaced by the depth of their feelings. The humor did not disappear either, but it is combined with the desire for love, life wisdom, melancholy and devilish temptation, so that the main tone was a celebration of love, loyalty and dedication.
Cinderella
All of us who know this fairy tale know which girl will eventually fall for Cinderella's lost slipper. Cinderella, the Prince, the wicked stepmother and the envious sisters come to life in a family fairy tale performance, accompanied by the beautiful music of Sergei Prokofiev in choreography tailored to our company and performers.
Cinderella
All of us who know this fairy tale know which girl will eventually fall for Cinderella's lost slipper. Cinderella, the Prince, the wicked stepmother and the envious sisters come to life in a family fairy tale performance, accompanied by the beautiful music of Sergei Prokofiev in choreography tailored to our company and performers.
Workshops for schools: How to do ballet
Take a look into the world of ballet with us! The ballet teaching team has prepared four workshop options for you, which offer participants a playful and experiential way to take a look into the world of ballet art. The workshop is adapted for kindergartens, elementary schools, high schools and grammar schools. Contact us and choose which type of workshop you are interested in. Workshop types: How to do ballet How to do ballet MOVEMENT How to do ballet ARTISTIC How to do ballet MUSICALLY
How to make an opera? Workshop for the second grade of elementary and high schools
Where did opera originate? What is a libretto? Who is a stage manager? And what does a set designer need to know? You will learn this and much more at our workshop. Participants will learn about the opera genre, the process of creating a production, the operation of the theatre and the professions that work in the theatre. It also includes a taste of opera singing. Participants will experience several activities that will give them a glimpse into the workings of an opera theatre, the opera genre and its demands. The workshop also includes a short tour of the Janáček Theatre.
Is Verdi's famous Nabucco just an opera about the desire for freedom? Jiří Heřman's production offers an engaging look at the story of the Babylonian king and the Jewish nation. It focuses on family relationships and King Nebuchadnezzar himself. The opera, full of magnificent choirs and captivating singing parts, has been one of the most popular titles in our repertoire for 35 years.
The Marriage of Figaro
After the successful production of Handel's Alcina, director Jiří Heřman and I will set out to discover the beauties of Mozart's music and his opera, which enjoys unwavering popularity all over the world. And it is no wonder, because The Marriage of Figaro, in addition to brilliant and sparkling music that will sweep you away with its unceasing flow similar to a mountain stream, also boasts an almost dramatic libretto. And how could it not, when the basis for Da Ponte was the play of the same name by the outstanding French playwright Pierre de Beaumarchais.
Workshops for schools: How to do ballet
Take a look into the world of ballet with us! The ballet teaching team has prepared four workshop options for you, which offer participants a playful and experiential way to take a look into the world of ballet art. The workshop is adapted for kindergartens, elementary schools, high schools and grammar schools. Contact us and choose which type of workshop you are interested in. Workshop types: How to do ballet How to do ballet MOVEMENT How to do ballet ARTISTIC How to do ballet MUSICALLY
Hurvínek sells the Bride
Daddy, how is a bride sold? How did you come to know that someone would sell a bride, Hurvínek? Well, I read here: The National Theatre in Brno is performing Bedřich Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride. So how is it, Daddy? Well, you know, it's just like... how should I put it to you... it's a trick to buy a bride for yourself. So now I'm a fool - is it being sold or bought? You know what, Hurvajz, take Žeryk and Mánička and we'll go to the opera, it'll be easier than explaining it to you!
Hurvínek sells the Bride
Daddy, how is a bride sold? How did you come to know that someone would sell a bride, Hurvínek? Well, I read here: The National Theatre in Brno is performing Bedřich Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride. So how is it, Daddy? Well, you know, it's just like... how should I put it to you... it's a trick to buy a bride for yourself. So now I'm a fool - is it being sold or bought? You know what, Hurvajz, take Žeryk and Mánička and we'll go to the opera, it'll be easier than explaining it to you!
Hurvínek sells the Bride
Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.
How is an opera made? Workshop for 1st - 5th grade elementary school
Workshop for 1st – 5th grade elementary school What, but especially who, is needed to create an opera performance? And what would it be like if children became set designers, costume designers, or even an orchestra for a while? We will find out together at the workshop How to Make an Opera! So what will we experience together: Getting to know the opera genre and some opera works. We will find out who works in the opera. We will try out some professions. We will learn selected theatrical terms. We will sing.
How to make an opera? Workshop for the second grade of elementary and high schools
Where did opera originate? What is a libretto? Who is a stage manager? And what does a set designer need to know? You will learn this and much more at our workshop. Participants will learn about the opera genre, the process of creating a production, the operation of the theatre and the professions that work in the theatre. It also includes a taste of opera singing. Participants will experience several activities that will give them a glimpse into the workings of an opera theatre, the opera genre and its demands. The workshop also includes a short tour of the Janáček Theatre.
We are from Bohemia and you ask if we can sing? An unknown couple from abroad arrives in a small Czech village and most of the locals watch them with distrust. Only the old teacher Benda, a music lover, opens his door to them, only to discover that the foreigners are closer to them than they might seem.
King Roger
The composer found inspiration for the work, which premiered in 1924, during his trip to the island of Sicily, a place rich in monuments of ancient and oriental culture and early Christian art. Perhaps this is why the historical figure of King Roger II, who ruled here in the 12th century and at whose court Christian and Arab culture and philosophy intertwined, became the center of Szymanowski's opera. Likewise, thanks to the composer's fascination with antiquity and the exoticism of the Orient, elements of not only Impressionism but also Arabic music are reflected in his music.
A human soul, a pure human soul! The water fairy Rusalka longs for life above the water, for love and a human soul. The Witch knows the way, but the price is high – Rusalka loses the ability to speak, but what good is speech if she is just a wave on the surface for her beloved prince... However, the world of people turns out to be cruel and full of betrayal, which even her pure love cannot overcome.
Cinderella
All of us who know this fairy tale know which girl will eventually fall for Cinderella's lost slipper. Cinderella, the Prince, the wicked stepmother and the envious sisters come to life in a family fairy tale performance, accompanied by the beautiful music of Sergei Prokofiev in choreography tailored to our company and performers.
Agrippina preview trailer
Take a look behind the scenes of the upcoming production before its official premiere. The preview offers a unique opportunity to meet the creative team and soloists of the opera Agrippina and learn more about how the production is created - from the first rehearsals to the final appearance on stage. She always knew what she wanted and to get it, she did not shy away from murder. Now Agrippina is the empress and once again faces the choice of whom she must sacrifice in order to achieve the imperial title for her son Nero. But in the equally ambitious Poppaea, Agrippina encounters an equal opponent...
The Magic Flute
Are you a passionate sci-fi fan? This opera will be perfect for you! That Mozart's most popular opera is full of magic and Masonic symbols? It certainly was for the inhabitants of Vienna in the 18th century, but when a theater artist like Miroslav Krobot takes over the direction, we can expect a perhaps unconventional, but all the more interesting story. And also a journey into space.
Merry widow
The mission is clear – to marry the widow! But in such a way that her millions remain in the principality. There would be plenty of suitors, but Count Danilo, entrusted with the task, already has his own love story with the widow Hana Glawari. The affection is mutual, but so is the reluctance to admit that the old love has not rusted. When you add other ingredients in the form of a party at the embassy in Paris, dancers from the famous U Maxima cabaret and witty dialogues, you have everything you need for a great operetta.
Devil's Wall
Bedřich Smetana originally thought of a comic opera with librettist Eliška Krásnohorská. In the end, while composing his last completed opera, the composer found moments in the romantic text, inspired by an old legend about a wall of stones built by the devil on the river by the Vyšehrod monastery, that gave the whole story a different tone. Smetana's isolation in Jabkenice and his dismal health and depression were reflected in the individual characters, and the comicalness was replaced by the depth of their feelings. The humor did not disappear either, but it is combined with the desire for love, life wisdom, melancholy and devilish temptation, so that the main tone was a celebration of love, loyalty and dedication.
Operetta Gala
A unique evening that will captivate you with the exquisite elegance, wit and nobility that only operetta and exceptional soloists who have shone on the stages of the most prestigious opera houses and concert halls can achieve. Kateřina Kněžíková and Adam Plachetka as the best guides to the world of operetta hits! Franz Lehár, Emmerich Kalmán, Johann Strauss and other immortal operetta melodies. That is our Operetta Gala this year. Of course, the Janáček Opera Orchestra of the National Theatre of Prague will also be present, conducted by chief conductor Robert Kružík.
Handel's Agrippina will be performed on the Brno stage for the first time, but the excellent Baroque orchestra Collegium 1704 is returning to the Janáček Theatre for the third time after the very successful Alcina and the Marriage of Figaro. So the audience does not have a difficult choice - the combination of Handel's opera, Collegium 1704 under the baton of Václav Luks and the Brno Opera ensemble - it is a must-see! Political intrigue is a topical topic in every era, and if people in love get caught in the middle of it, it is also an ideal subject for an opera. Cardinal Grimaldi added political satire full of irony to the libretto, and G. F. Handel gave it drama, humor, despair and love in the music.
Hurvínek sells the bride
Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.
Hurvínek sells the bride
Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.
Hurvínek sells the bride
Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.
La traviata
Perhaps none of the participants in the Venetian premiere, which was a devastating fiasco, believed that they had just witnessed the birth of one of the most popular and most performed Italian operas. Verdi found a theme close to him in the novel about the love of the courtesan Violetta and Alfredo, which is not desired by his father or society. He knew the setting well – Paris, a city full of hustle and bustle, was never his favorite, and the tragic story reminded him of his own life experience. For years he had lived in a free union with the soprano Giuseppina Strepponi and felt firsthand the society's opposition to the "illegal" relationship. His personal experience undoubtedly enhanced the understanding and compassion for the main heroine, which permeate the entire opera... The clear lyrical music, where Italian bel canto is closely combined with dramatic expression, added poignancy to the tragic love story of the famous Parisian courtesan, thus giving rise to an opera evergreen.
The production of Janáček's Fate, which officially opened the Janáček Brno Festival 2020, marks the return of one of the best opera directors, Robert Carsen. This creator of productions valued for their dramatic grasp, poetics and artistic refinement, returns to Janáček's operatic work to expand his Janáček productions with a sixth opera created especially for Janáček's opera NdB. The very first notes of the orchestral waltz from the overture to Fate introduce us to the noble spa society; simple natural prose is replaced here by language in the style of decadent poets, as Janáček was inspired to write this opera by a beautiful woman, twenty-eight-year-old Kamila Urválková, whom the composer met in August 1903 at his favorite spa in Luhačovice.
Director David Radok and his Rusalka as a fateful drama about unfulfilled desires and human failure, about the contradictory conflict between love and erotic desire, a drama about the sinful human soul. Since its creation, Dvořák's Rusalka has been one of the most beloved and performed Czech operas, not only thanks to its beautiful and unique music, but also to the poetic and timeless libretto by Jaroslav Kvapil, which hides endless symbolism. The theme is perfect for David Radok and a multi-layered production full of strong emotions. David Radok's scenography is based on the concept of Rusalka by scenographer Lars-Ake Thessman, presented at GöteborgsOperan in 2012.


