Prague’s Vibrant Fine Arts Scene

In the United States, it’s rare to have the opportunity to see a live opera and if one does, it’s very expensive. Not so in Prague. The quality of art and music here is amazing and so accessible. This semester I’ve seen six operas (including one in Vienna) and the Nutcracker ballet. Being able to go to so many shows has been on of the top advantages of studying abroad in Prague. With the student discount, I have never paid more than 110 crowns (about six dollars) for a show and they can be as little as 30-50 crowns. Most of the shows I’ve see have been in the National Theater which is perhaps my favorite building in Prague. It’s impressive from the outside, with huge statues mounted on stone horses lining the roof, and very elegant inside. The only other opera house I’ve visited is the Estates Theater, which has great historical significance. Seeing Don Giovanni in this theater was one of the things on my lists of things to do in Prague because it is where Mozart premiered and directed that opera. Although I didn’t like the opera very much, it was really enjoyable to be in the theater. It’s beautifully decorated (someone mentioned it looks like a wedding cake inside) and by some stroke of luck our tickets were not in the balcony like we expected but in a private box! I’ve seen some comedies and tragedies and so far my favorite is a Czech opera by Smetana called The Bartered Bride. It was very fun and clever and had lots of dancing and costumes. I wish theU.S. could be so lucky to have such a vibrant and accessible fine arts scene!

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