National Theatre bids farewell to New Stage ahead of renovation

The National Theatre companies in Prague are saying goodbye to the New Stage on Wednesday before it closes for a major renovation.

A full-day farewell program will take place across Václav Havel Square, the New Stage itself, and the adjacent Operational Building B, formerly known as Themos, which will also undergo renovation. The work is estimated to cost CZK 2.3 billion and is scheduled to begin this fall, with a contractor selection deadline of July 9.

The New Stage, a cultural monument declared by the Ministry of Culture in 2021, was originally built between 1977 and 1983 as part of the National Theatre complex’s expansion. The building is notable for its state representative architecture of the early 1980s, featuring exclusive materials and original interiors designed by architect Karel Prager.

The glass facade, composed of numerous television screens, was created in collaboration with glass artists Stanislav Libenský and Jaroslava Brychtová.

Wednesday’s farewell program starts at 10 a.m. with Laterna magika’s BatoLaterna performance aimed at toddlers and children under three, performed several times on the New Stage.

Additional children’s performances will take place on Václav Havel Square, where an unexpected ballet flashmob titled Sarcasm is also scheduled. Songs from the current play Wernisch, the opera The Barber of Seville, and other performances will follow.

Meanwhile, students from the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (DAMU) will have their own stage in Operational Building B.

From 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., visitors can join guided tours of the New Stage and Operational Building B before renovation work begins. At 7 p.m., the new circus company BoCirk will perform Summer Heat on Václav Havel Square. The day will conclude with music and a silent disco running until midnight between the theater buildings.

The renovation is expected to take two years. It aims to preserve the building’s listed historic elements while creating a flexible, multifunctional hall with up to 500 seats, a chamber theater, rehearsal rooms, and a ground-floor café.

During the renovation, the Laterna magika ensemble will continue performing at various venues around Prague, primarily at La Fabrika in the Holešovice district.