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Werther 01Werther 01
Opera

Werther

Jules Massenet

A famous production by Willy Decker

The National Theatre

Basic information

Venue

The National Theatre

Approximate running time

2 hours 35 minutes, 1 intermission (20 minutes) minutes

Language

In French, surtitles in Czech, English

Premiere

June 7, 2018

J. W. Goethe’s poetry and prose have inspired numerous artists, including opera composers. The most accomplished adaptations of his works include French operas: Ambroise Thomas’s Mignon, Charles Gounod’s Faust and Jules Massenet’s Werther.

Cast

  • 2024-2025

Creatives

Musical preparation
Petr Kofroň
Staging conception
Willy Decker
Revival director
Stefan Heinrichs
Sets and costumes
Wolfgang Gussmann
Dramaturgy
Beno Blachut

About

National Theatre Orchestra 
Members of the Prague Philharmonic Children's Choir, Choir master Jiří Chvála

Soon after its publication, Goethe’s 1774 epistolary novel The Sorrows of Young Werther became a cult book, one in which the readers recognised themselves, with a number of them even taking the hero’s example and committing suicide. The work is a seminal text of the German proto-Romantic literary movement known as Sturm und Drang, whose adherents placed emphasis on human emotionality as the answer to the cool rationalism of the era of the Enlightenment. Linking up to his teacher Thomas and his colleague Gounod, Massenet’s compositional style is primarily noted for abundant distinct melody and colourful orchestration, inspired in part by Richard Wagner.

His suggestible musical idiom serves to underline a story replete with passions, which the protagonists fail to satisfy. Massenet’s Werther, one of the most acclaimed French operas, is returning to the National Theatre in Prague almost 80 years after the previous production, performed from 1927 to 1939.

The original premiere of the production took place on 14 January 1996 at the Het Muziektheater (Nederlandse Opera) in Amsterdam.

Photo: Hana Smejkalová and Patrik Borecký

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 November 2024 – April 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.

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.

 

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.

Buffets at the National Theater

No waiting. For your benefit, please pre-order your food and beverages at the bar to minimize waiting in the queue!

Menu (PDF, 60 kB)