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Prague Crossroads | Nature Theater of Oklahoma: Burt Turrido. An Opera – photo: Jessica SchäferPrague Crossroads | Nature Theater of Oklahoma: Burt Turrido. An Opera – photo: Jessica Schäfer
Opera

Burt Turrido. An Opera

Nature Theater of Oklahoma

Prague Crossroads Festival

The New Stage
Prague Crossroads Festival
Czech surtitles
English surtitles

Basic information

Venue

The New Stage

Approximate running time

3 hours 45 minutes, 1 intermission (20 minutes) minutes

Language

In English, surtitles in English, Czech

Accompanying programme

 

Q&A after both performances in the New Stage's foyer.

Nature Theater of Oklahoma was founded in 2004 by Kelly Copper and Pavol Liška. In their projects, the now legendary New York group traditionally straddles the border of various genres and sets seemingly impossible challenges for themselves and the audience. This time they are coming to Prague with their first opera performance ever!

Cast

  • 2023-2024
  • 2024-2025

Creatives

Text and direction
Kelly CopperPavol Liška
Light design
Luka Curk
Costumes
Anna Sünkel
Dramaturg Künstlerhaus Mousonturm
Marcus Dross
Dramaturg Schauspiel Frankfurt
Katja Herlemann
Production Manager Künstlerhaus Mousonturm
Anne Kleiner
Sets assistant
Nastja Miheljak
Set and Prop Technician
Hanna Marlene Schnell

About

In Burt Turrido. An Opera, Nature Theater of Oklahoma created an opera for the first time. They tell us the story of an isolated society with humorous existentialism: a man lost and drowning at sea is rescued by a mysterious and beautiful woman, possibly a phantom or a mermaid, who escorts him to the last remaining piece of land left on earth. Despoiled of vegetation and full of the ghosts of its former inhabitants, the island (formerly known as Greenland) is ruled by a despotic king and queen, who name their newly discovered castaway Burt Turrido, and make him their slave, and – when he proves too inept at that – their prisoner. But this is an opera, and the drama goes on – there's yet to come still a cataclysmic storm, an immaculate pregnancy, a murder, a love triangle, a mock execution, a birth, an alien invasion and kidnapping, and – we promise you it's not over until someone finally gets impaled on a narwhal tusk.

Nature Theater of Oklahoma

Nature Theater of Oklahoma is a New York award-winning art and performance group under the direction of Pavol Liška and Kelly Copper, founded in 2004. With each new project, they attempt to set an impossible challenge for themselves and the audience – working from inside the codes and confines of established genres and exploding them. No two projects are formally the same, but the work is always full of humor, earnestness, rigor, and the audience plays an essential role – whether as spectators or as participants in the work. Using readymade material, found space, gifted properties, cosmic accident, extreme formal manipulation and plain hard work. Nature Theater of Oklahoma makes art to affect a shift in the perception of everyday reality that extends beyond the site of performance and into the world in which we live. 

Official photos: Jessica Schäfer

A production Nature Theater of Oklahoma, Künstlerhaus Mousonturm and Schauspiel Frankfurt, co-produced by Wiener Festwochen, Festspillene i Nord-Norge (Arctic Arts Festival), Athens & Epidaurus Festival, Espoo City Theatre – The International Theatre of Finland, HAU Hebbel am Ufer, Noorderzon Festival of Performing Arts & Society, Zürcher Theater Spektakel and Kampnagel.

Commissioned by Frankfurter Positionen 2021, an initiative of the BHF-Bank Foundation. Funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation and by the Adolf und Luisa Haeuser-Stiftung für Kunst und Kulturpflege as part of the project series UNLIMITED II promoting exemplary positions in the contemporary performing arts.

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 March-August 2024.


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 National Theater

While visiting The National Theatre and the New Stage you can use again the underground car park of the National Theatre. Information and a parking fee.

 

Buffets on the New Stage

Use Café Nona for refreshments on the New Stage.