More on the City Opera flap

Originally published July 12, 2011

This piece appeared in today's New York Times regarding the current plans of the management of City Opera to effectively dismantle the company as we know it.  Only five productions scattered throughout various venues around the city will do little to insure the company's solvency or to reclaim its past artistic brilliance and programmatic daring.

Statni opera interior--WOW!

Narodni divadlo-cool curtain

Oh yes, and efforts are underway in Prague to do the same thing with the State Opera House (Statni opera Praha, founded in 1888 as the "New German Theatre), wherein the National Theater (Narodni divadlo, opened 1881, largely destroyed by fire after only 11 performances and reopened in 1883) would become the city's only full-time opera.  Apparently this is the move of the Czech government which refuses to honor the traditions of these mighty houses.  The National Theater was founded by Smetana and its repertoire was originally primarily limited to native-speaking composers while the "German" theater presented a wider array of repertoire and includes Mahler and Zemlinsky as former music directors. 

Of course, one must not forget that Prague still boasts the Estates Theatre (Stavovske divadlo, still extant with practically no "modernizations" since 1783).  Although now under the umbrella of the National Theater, it's repertoire is primarily devoted to the works of Mozart, who conducted the world premiere of Don Giovanni there in 1787.  It remains the only theater left standing in which the great master actually conducted.

Stavovske divadlo; Look familiar?  They filmed Amadeus here

Judging from the sheer numbers of tourists who have discovered Prague since my own first visit in 1999, I would surmise that the city can maintain two separate houses.  But what do I know; I'm just a conductor.