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Opera (South Bohemian Theatre) | Komenský (Comenius) – photo: Martina RootOpera (South Bohemian Theatre) | Komenský (Comenius) – photo: Martina Root
Opera
South Bohemian Theatre

Komenský (Comenius) – South Bohemian Theatre

Festival of Music Theatre Opera 2025

The State Opera
Festival of Music Theatre Opera 2025

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    February 2025

    Monday 10. 2.
    19:00

    Booking not started yet

    Festival of Music Theatre Opera 2025

    Basic information

    Venue

    The State Opera

    Ensemble

    South Bohemian Theatre (České Budějovice)

    Language

    In Czech, surtitles in German

    Premiere

    The world premiere: December 6, 2023, České Budějovice

    Approximate running time 1 hour 45 minutes, one intermission

    www.festival-opera.cz

    Performance as part of the 16th Festival of Music Theatre Opera 2025

    About

    A brand-new opera composed by Jan Jirásek, holder of two Czech Lions. Commissioned by the South Bohemian Theater, this new piece will take you through the turbulent Europe of the 17th century at film speed. It is a story about how to find paradise of the heart in the labyrinth of the Thirty Years’ War, plagues, religious intolerance, personal tragedies, and life in exile.

    Jan Amos Komenský stands as one of the most significant European thinkers in modern history. His ideas were so forward-thinking that they remain influential even today, particularly in education, where many of his principles still guide our approaches. Komenský's life was marked by great hardship, not only because he lived through the devastation of the Thirty Years' War—the largest European conflict of its time—but also because he experienced other wars and endured multiple plague epidemics. These outbreaks claimed the lives of his parents and sisters in Uherský Brod, as well as his wife and children in Fulnek, along with many friends and acquaintances in Lešno.

    In our collective memory, Jan Amos Komenský is widely known as the "teacher of nations." This title is well-deserved, as his educational works opened doors to the broader world. He worked in various countries, including Sweden and England, where he was even considered for the position of rector at Harvard University. He also settled in Leszno, Poland, before being expelled for collaborating with the Swedes, who had previously laid siege to the town. Komenský spent his final 14 years in Amsterdam and was laid to rest in the nearby village of Naarden. Although he passed away believing that most of his works had been destroyed and that little of his legacy remained, around 250 of his works have survived. In addition to his educational texts, such as Orbis Pictus and The Gate of Languages Opened, he also authored philosophical and allegorical works. One of the most renowned is The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart, which was published exactly 400 years before the premiere of the opera Comenius. Two characters from this opera, Searchall Ubiquitous and Delusion, are taken from this book, and the artist has symbolically dressed them in costumes adorned with illustrations from Komenský's work.

     

    Cast

    Jan Amos Sr. – Jan Šťáva
    Jan Amos Jr. – Jakub Hliněnský
    Magdalene – Anna Moriová 
    Ubiquitous – Michal Marhold
    Delusion – Zuzana Koś Kopřivová
    Daniel, son of Comenius – František Sliž
    Mayor / Ferdinand II. – Tomáš Kořínek
    Doctor Tulp – Tomáš Maliniak
    Two townsmen – Martin Doucha / Tomáš Kotek, Přemysl Stibor
    Two townswomen – Tereza Faltýnová / Kristýna Janů, Anna Vodičková

    South Bohemian Theater orchestra, chorus and ballet


    Creatives

    Libretto: Tomáš Jarkovský
    Conductor: Jiří Štrunc
    Stage director: Tomáš Ondřej Pilař
    Sets: Marek Kubát, Tomáš Ondřej Pilař
    Costumes: Dana Haklová
    Light design: Daniel Tesař
    Choreography: Martin Šinták
    Chorus master: Martin Veselý
    Dramaturgy: Eva Marečková, Marek Pavlíček

    Photo and video gallery

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      Practical information

      Where to buy tickets

      The National Theatre sells tickets up to 6 months in advance. We are currently selling tickets for performances of Drama, Ballet, Opera and Laterna magika taking place in October 2024 – March 2025.


      When purchasing online, you can get an e-ticket. You can pick up printed tickets in person at the box offices of the National Theatre.

      What to wear?

      By their appearance, attire and behaviour, the audience is obliged to adhere to the accustomed practice expected from them when attending a theatre performance.

      Parking at the State opera

      While visiting the State Opera, you can take the slip road on Wilsonova street from the left lane close to the State Opera building to the Parking Centrum above-ground garage. The parking fee is 60 CZK/h.

      Buffets at the State Opera

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