Teatro degli Stati
براغ
The Estates Theatre is a classical theatre that opened in 1783. It is linked to Mozart, who conducted the premiere of Don Giovanni here in 1787.
The count's theatre
Count František Antonín Nostic-Rieneck wanted a theatre on his own land, with the permission of Emperor Joseph II. Many neighbours and the town council were against it, but the project went ahead.
The first stone was laid on 7 June 1781. The architect was Anton Haffenecker. The theatre opened on 21 April 1783.
Mozart in Prague
In 1787 Mozart conducted one of his already famous operas here. On 29 October of the same year he presented the premiere of Don Giovanni, written for the Prague theatre. In the following years other operas of his were performed here.
A stage for the Czech language
In 1798 the theatre passed to the Estates of Bohemia and took the name Royal Estates Theatre. Operas were sung in foreign languages, and shows in Czech were given only on holidays.
In 1826 the first Czech opera, Dráteník by František Škroup, had its premiere here.
Today the theatre belongs to the National Theatre and stages plays, opera and ballet. The auditorium, with its decorated boxes, is still very similar to the one of the 1700s. That is why the theatre has also been used as a set for films about Mozart's time.
