After his first three operas (Die Feen/The Fairies, Das Liebesverbot/The Ban on Love and Rienzi), in which Wagner came to terms with the influences of the main compositional movements of his time (German opera of Carl Maria von Weber, Italian opera similar to that of Donizetti and French grand opera of Giacomo Meyerbeer), he composed his first important opera – The Flying Dutchman. He wrote his own libretto after the legend by Heinrich Heine, setting the story in Norway in about 1650. The opera’s chief hero is a Dutchman condemned to roam the seas; the only thing that can save him is a maiden’s faithful love. He finds that love in Senta, daughter of the sailor Daland. She is attracted to the Dutchman even though she is engaged to the huntsman Erik. When the Dutchman wants to return to the sea, she desperately cries out: “faithful to the grave,” throwing herself from the cliff into the sea. The condition for the Dutchman’s redemption is thereby satisfied, his ship sinks and the souls of both lovers rise to the heavens.
The world premiere of the opera was on January 2, 1843 at the Royal Court Theatre of Saxony in Dresden under the composer’s direction. The first Prague performance was at the Estates Theatre on September 7, 1856 under the baton of František Škroup. The opera was not played at Bayreuth until 1901 with Ema Destinnová (Emmy Destinn) in the role of Senta and with the conductor Felix Mottl, who performed the opera as a “ballad without intermission” in accordance with Wagner’s wishes.
Staging team
Chief conductor: G. Tourniaire
Stage director: S. Taylor
Set designer: L. Peduzzi
Costume designer: N. Prats
Lighting designer: Ch. Pinaud
Chorus master: T. Karlovič
The Prague State Opera resides in the building which on January 5, 1888 was opened as a Prague German stage with the performance of Wagner’s opera, The Mastersingers of Nürnberg. In the 19th century, Prague Germans performed in the Estate’s Theater in alternation with a Czech company. Desire for their own theater led to negotiations in 1883 for the construction of a new theater building for the German Theater Association. Over the next three years, a blueprint was drawn up and handed over to the Vienna atelier of Fellner and Hellmer. Also sharing in the design was the architect of the Vienna Municipal Theater, Karl Hasenauer, while Prague architect Alfons Wertmüller took part in the construction. Financing came from private collections. With its spacious auditorium and neo-Rococo decoration, this theater building is among the most beautiful in Europe. The first director of the new German theater was Angelo Neumann, who acquired well known performers and soon brought the new theater to a high artistic level of international significance. Major figures which worked here included directors Carl Muck, Franz Schalk, and Leo Blech, or singers such as alto V. Nigrini and tenor A. Wallnhöfer.
After Neumann’s death in 1910, Alexander Zemlinsky became the director of the opera from 1911–1927. A great director and composer, Zemlinsky enriched Prague’s cultural life with his unrivalled interpretations of Mozart’s works and significant stagings of works by E. Krenek, P. Hindemith, E. W. Korngold, F. Schreker, as well as his own works. During his era, first-rate artists appeared here such as M. Müller, M. Huss, F. Schorr, L. Slezak, R. Tauber, L. Lehmann and others. Under his successor, Georg Szell, works by modern composers were also performed. The theater featured a remarkably wide repertoire, even including works from Prague German composers (F. Finke, T. Veidl, H. Krása). The company also had excellent singers at its disposal (R. Pauly, R. Stevens, K. Baum, H. Hotter etc.). The final performance in the theater took place on September 25, 1938, when the Theater Association terminated all contracts and sold the theater building to the Czechoslovak state. During the occupation, the theater did not have any regular performances under the name of The Prague German Opera. There were only occasional guest performances by a few German companies.
Among the exceptional artistic figures who performed here were directors Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Felix Mottl, Arthur Nikisch and Felix Weingartner, as well as soloists Anna Bahr-Mildenburg, Berta Lauterer-Foerster, Maria Jeritza, Nellie Melba, Karl Burian, Enrico Caruso, Benjamino Gigli, Jan Kiepura, Richard Kubla, and Tino Pattiera. After liberation, the building was handed over to the May 5th Theater, which later became part of the National Theater. Since its inception in 1992, the Prague State Opera has celebrated the tradition of the New German Theater, not only through the space in which it plays, but above all through the dramaturgy and establishment of its own documentation center, which would like to archive the activities of the NDT (New German Theater), since the archive of this theater has unfortunately been irretrievably lost.
Travel
From the Airport
Take Bus No. 119 to the stop “Dejvická”, from which you enter the metro station of the same name (on the A line) and ride in the direction toward “Skalka” to the station “Museum”. Leave the vestibule via the stairs leading to Washington Street. At the intersection with Politických vězňů Street turn right and, via the pedestrian underpass under Wilson Street, approach the main entrance into the Prague State Opera.
From the main train station
Leave the lower lobby of the station in the direction toward Washington Street. At the intersection with Politických vězňů Street turn left and, via the pedestrian underpass under Wilson Street, approach the main entrance into the Prague State Opera.
From the old town square
Pass through Franz Kafka Square and along Kaprova Street to the metro station “Staroměstská” (on the A line), from which you ride in the direction toward “Skalka” to the station “Museum”. Leave the vestibule via the stairs leading to Washington Street. At the intersection with Politických vězňů Street turn right and, via the pedestrian underpass under Wilson Street, approach the main entrance into the Prague State Opera.
From the Pargue Castle
Pass through the complex of the Prague Castle and along adjacent streets following tourist signs to the metro station “Hradčanská” (on the A line), from which you ride in the direction toward “Skalka” to the station “Museum”. Leave the vestibule via the stairs leading to Washington Street. At the intersection with Politických vězňů Street turn right and, via the pedestrian underpass under Wilson Street, approach the main entrance into the Prague State Opera.
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