Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

CZECH REPUBLIC 287

two major opera companies in

the city: the State Opera and

the Estates Theatre. Both

stage first-class operas and

ballets. The State Opera pre s-

ents all its performances in

the language in which they

are written, usually Italian.

MUSIC FESTIVALS

Czech music festivals are

one of the country’s greatest

attrac tions for music lovers.

Of these the most famous

is the Prague Spring

International Music Festival.

Prague Castle also stages

Strings of Autumn, a

traditional music festival held

from October to December.

NIGHTLIFE

Every large Czech town

has a music club, although

Prague naturally has the

greatest number. The best-

known cultural centre in the

capital is the Palace Akropolis

complex, including a theatre,

concert hall, exhibition

space, café and restaurant.

It attracts many world music

artists. Agharta Jazz Centrum

is Prague’s best jazz club.

Malostranská Beseda is a

venue for more traditional

rock, jazz, blues, country

and folk music. There are

a number of rock venues,

generally small clubs and

cafés, which host a variety

of groups; the Rock Café

is among the most popular.

Prague also has a lively

gay and lesbian scene;

Valentino is one of the

most popular gay bars.

Most cities and larger

towns have venues with

live music at night, mainly

performed by local bands

and musicians. Techno

and dance is very popular

through out the country.

Information on events

in Prague can be found

in the weekly English-

language Prague Post. Other

sources of information are

the leaflets and posters in

the local area. For infor -

mation on gigs and clubs

outside Prague, check the

posters around town.

Brno also (see pp280–81) has
an active classical music
scene with the National
Theatre being another superb
venue for concerts.
Theatre has played an
important role in the cultural
development of the Czech
Republic. Most large towns
have a theatre, often a historic
building with a beautiful
interior. Prague’s National
Theatre is the city’s main
drama venue, but there are
many mainstream and fringe
the atres, such as the Laterna
Magika and the Komedie
Theatre, both of which stage
more avant-garde prod uc-
tions. Tickets for the National
Theatre can be purchased on
the Internet, with group
tickets to the most popular
perfor mances available well
in advance.
As a rule, theatres display
the plays that are currently in
their repertoire on the front of
the building. Few productions
outside Prague are performed
in English. During the 20th
cen tury, opera became popular
in Prague and there are now

MARKETS

Havel Market

Havelská, Prague.

Holešovice Market

Holešovice, Prague.

GLASS AND

CERAMICS

Dana-Bohemia

Národní 43, Prague.

Tel 224 214 655.

Erpet

Staromĕstské námĕstí

27, Prague.

Tel 224 229 755.

Moser

Na Přikopě 12, Prague.

Tel 224 211 293.

Parcela Plus

Malé náměstí 6, Prague.

Tel 224 228 459.

ANTIQUES

Alma Mahler

Antique

Valentinská 7, Prague.

Tel 222 325 865.

Dorotheum

Ovocný trh 2, Prague.

Tel 224 222 001.

Starožitnosti Uhlíř

Mikulandská 8, Prague.

Tel 224 930 572.

FOOD AND DRINK

Jan Paukert

Delicatessen and

Wine Bar

Národní 17, Prague.

Tel 224 222 615.

CINEMA

Cinema City Flora

Vinohradská, Prague.

Tel 255 741 002.

http://www.cinemacity.cz

CLASSICAL MUSIC,

THEATRE AND

OPERA

Estates Theatre

Ovocný trh 1, Prague.

Tel 224 901 448.

http://www.narodni-divadlo.cz

Komedie Theatre

Jungmannova 1, Prague.

Tel 224 222 734.

http://www.divadlokomedie.cz

Laterna Magika

Národní 4, Prague.

Tel 224 931 482.

Municipal House

Náměstí Republiky 5,

Prague. Tel 222 002 101.

http://www.obecnidum.cz

National Theatre

Dvořákova 11, Brno.

Tel 542 158 111.

http://www.ndbrno.cz

National Theatre

Národní 2, Prague.

Tel 224 901 448.

http://www.nationaltheatre.cz

Rudolfinum

Alšovo Nábřeži 12, Prague.

Tel 227 059 227. http://www.

ceskefilaharmonie.cz

State Opera

Wilsonova 4, Prague.

Tel 224 227 266.

http://www.opera.cz

MUSIC FESTIVALS

Prague Spring

International Music

Festival

http://www.praguespring.cz

Strings of Autumn

http://www.strunypodzimu.cz

DIRECTORY

NIGHTLIFE

Agharta Jazz

Centrum

Železná 16, Prague.

Tel 222 211 275.

http://www.agharta.cz

Malostranská

Beseda

Malostranské náměstí 21,

Prague.

Tel 257 532 092.

Palace Akropolis

Kubelíkova 27, Prague.

Tel 296 330 913.

http://www.palacakropolis.cz

Rock Café

Národní 20, Prague.

Tel 224 933 947.

http://www.rockcafe.cz

Valentino

Vinohradská 40, Prague.

Tel 222 513 491.

http://www.club-valentino.cz