Prague State Opera to open its doors to the public for one day

Last chance to see the lavish interiors of a Prague icon before it closes for renovations until 2020

Katrina Modrá

Written by Katrina Modrá Published on 29.05.2019 10:54:41 (updated on 29.05.2019) Reading time: 1 minute

Prague’s State Opera isn’t due to reopen until January 2020. But lovers of opera and architecture will have one last opportunity to visit the site this coming weekend.

The last Open Day in the State Opera (Wilsonova 4) will take place on Sunday, June 2, 2019, from 9 am. The guided tour will lead visitors through the construction site.

The tour will not be barrier-free, and, according to the State Opera team, the tour includes “demanding terrain.” Admission is free after prior registration.

The reconstruction of the State Opera began on March 13, 2017. The largest issue has been its wiring. Moisture remediation has also proven necessary.

The upper and lower stage will also be modernized. A newly designed turntable system will offer tremendous variability and scenic options for creating a variety of stage layouts. The changes are meant to give the venue greater scenographic potential.

Restoration work will take place on the interior decoration of the auditorium as well. The glass facade of the adjacent building and the facade of the historic building will also undergo reconstruction.

The offices, rehearsal rooms, ballet and choir halls will be also be renovated; artists’ changing rooms and social facilities will also see improvements.

The lavish 19th-century opera house originally opened in 1888 as the New German Theatre. From 1949 to 1989 it was the Smetana Theatre. It is part of the National Theatre.

To register for the Prague State Opera Open Day contact Lucie Flemrová, l.flemrova@narodni-divadlo.cz.

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