An exhibition dedicated to Otakar Ostrčil

The composer, conductor and dramaturge Otakar Ostrčil served as the director of the National Theatre Opera for 15 years (1920 -1935). To mark the 140th anniversary of his birth, the Blaty Museum in Soběslav opened a special exhibition and unveiled a bust in the nearby park.

Ostrčil’s work played a major role in the history of the National Theatre in Prague, while his creation was closely linked with Soběslav, a town he regularly visited, especially during the last years of his life. A versatile artist and morally principled man, he pursued progressive approaches to theatre-making. Although Ostrčil’s methods might have been overly controversial for his colleagues, as well as audiences and critics, his legacy has proved to be timeless, having made a significant impact on the development of the National Theatre and other institutions alike. During his tenure at the National, Ostrčil sought to stage works of all composers, yet he had a special penchant for Bedřich Smetana’s music. His adaptations of the operas The Bartered Bride and The Kiss were among the productions that gave rise to fierce polemics.
To mark the 140th anniversary of his birth, the Blaty Museum in Soběslav opened a special exhibition, representing the room in which Ostrčil liked to spent time composing, including his personal belongings. At the same time, his bust, created by the sculptor Karla Vobišová, was unveiled in the nearby park.
The National Theatre thanks for the invitation to participate in the event!