The arts - The Rough Guide to Prague - page 308

Obecnídům-Smetanovasíň NáměstíRepubliky5,NovéMěsto 222002101, obecni-
dum.cz ; metro Náměstí Republiky. This fantastically ornate Art Nouveau concert hall is
where the Prague Spring festival usually kicks off, and is also home to the excellent Prague
Symphony Orchestra ( fok.cz ) . Box office daily 10am-8pm.
Rudolfinum Alšovo nábřeží 12, Staré Město 227 059 352, rudolfinum.cz ; metro
Staroměstská. A stunning neo-Renaissance concert hall from the late nineteenth century
that's home base for the Czech Philharmonic ( ceskafilharmonie.cz ). The Dvořákova síň is
the large hall; the Sukova síň is the chamber concert hall. Box office Mon-Fri 10am-6pm.
Státní opera Praha (Prague State Opera) Wilsonova 4, Nové Město 224 901 448,
opera.cz ; metro Muzeum. A sumptuous nineteenth-century opera house, built by the city's
German community, which once attracted star conductors such as Mahler and Zemlinsky.
Nowadays, it is part of the National Theatre set-up. Most productions have English surtitles.
Box office daily 10am-6pm.
Stavovskédivadlo(EstatesTheatre) Ovocnýtrh1,StaréMěsto 224901448, narodni-
divadlo.cz ; metro Můstek. Prague's oldest opera house, which witnessed the premiere of
Mozart's Don Giovanni , hosts a mixture of opera, ballet and straight theatre (with simultan-
eous headphone translation available). Some productions have English surtitles. Box office
evenings only.
OTHER CONCERT VENUES
Anežský klášter (Convent of sv Anežka) U milosrdných 17, Staré Město 224 810 628;
metro Náměstí Republiky. This branch of the Národní galerie puts on regular chamber con-
certs, often featuring music by the big four Czech composers, in the convent's atmospheric
Gothic chapel (see Anežský klášter (Convent of St Agnes) - Medieval art ).
Atrium na Žižkově Čajkovského 12, Žižkov 221 721 838, atriumzizkov.cz ; tram #5,
#9 or #26 to Olšanské náměstí. In a most unlikely location, this Baroque chapel sits deep in
the heart of Žižkov, staging a regular (though not daily) programme of chamber music.
Bazilika sv Jakub (St James) Malá Štupartská 6, Staré Město 224 828 816; metro
NáměstíRepubliky. Thischurch,withPrague'sfinestorgan,isavenueforchoralchurchmu-
sic, sung Mass and regular recitals.
ChrámsvMikuláše(StNicholas) Staroměstskénáměstí,StaréMěsto 224190994;metro
Staroměstská. Whitewashed Baroque church on the edge of Staroměstské náměstí, used for
singing recitals and choral concerts; not to be confused with the church of the same dedica-
tion in Malá Strana .
Kostel sv Mikuláše (St Nicholas) Malostranské náměstí, Malá Strana 257 534 215; tram
#12 #20 or #22 to Malostranské náměstí. Prague's most sumptuous Baroque church (see Sv
Mikuláš (St Nicholas) ) is the perfect setting for choral concerts and organ recitals.