Prague Destination Guide

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  Events & Nightlife in Prague

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Events & Nightlife
Guide to Entertainment in Prague

Prague is truly a centre of great cultural significance, not only in the beauty of the architecture but also through the variety of musical and theatrical events held regularly throughout the year.

This, added to the vibrant cafés and bars, contributes to Prague's reputation as a city that combines the traditional with the modern.

Music

Classical music is huge in Prague and compares very well against other centres such as Vienna. Although funding for the arts has been badly hit in recent decades the city is home to at least two world class orchestras and several smaller companies of extremely high standard. Concerts and recital programmes are both varied and frequent throughout the city.

The Czech Philharmonic plays in the Rudolfinum. After a few well-publicised wobbles in management in the late 90s the national orchestra is now back on an even-keel and offers international class performances of the best works of Europe's composers. Contact the box office for more information.
Alsovo nábrezí 12
Tel: +420 227-059-352

The Prague Symphony Orchestra rivals the Philharmonic for quality and there is little to choose between the two in terms of level of performance or range of programme. The orchestra is housed in the sumptuous Municipal House, performing in the building's huge Smetana Hall. In spring the venue is the focus of the Prague Spring Festival, which the Symphony Orchestra traditionally launches each year.
Municipal House (Obecni dum), Namesti Republiky 5
Tel: +420 222-002-336

Theatre

The National Theatre is the grandest of Prague's auditoriums. It was built by public funds and for many is representative of Czech culture and national pride. The theatre was officially inaugurated in 1883 (although royal command performances had been made in 1881) with a performance of Libuse written by Czech composer Bedrich Smetana especially for the occasion. It is a sumptuously decorated building, the multi-tiered audience galleries are fantastic examples of 19th-century theatre style and throughout there are fantastic statues, frescoes and paintings from the finest artisans that the city could commission. The theatre is shared by the city opera, ballet company and top dramatic ensembles, and performances of music, dance and theatre are alternated throughout the year. The drama repertoire concentrates mainly on the classics of European and Czech theatre, but there are the occasional performances of contemporary drama as well.
Národní trída
Tel: +420 224-227-981

The Estates Theatre (Stavovské divadlo) was famously where Don Giovanni was first performed. Nowadays the sumptuously decorated auditorium hosts as much theatre as opera with a full programme from the city theatre company.
Ovocny trh 1
Tel: +420 224-227-981

For a taste of surreal and unconventional the Laterna Magika and the Image Theatre are venues which offer a unique brand of performance art. The Laterna Magika presents a variety of multi-media performances whereas the Image Theatre combines the arts of black theatre, pantomime and modern dance.

Laterna Magika
Narodni Trida 4
Tel: +420 224-931-482

Image Theatre
Parizska 4
Tel: +420 222-329-191

Tickets for all these venues can be booked via:

Ticketpro
Salvátorská 10
Tel: +420 296-333-333

Opera

Prague is an opera lover's paradise. There are three top class venues that offer annual seasons of international standard performance from the world's foremost opera companies.

The National Theatre was officially inaugurated in 1883 (although royal command performances had been made in 1881) with a performance of Libuse composed by Smetana especially for the occasion. The theatre is shared by the city opera, ballet company and top dramatic ensembles, and performances of music, dance and theatre are alternated throughout the year. The opera season is derived from the classics and Czech traditional opera.
Národní trída
Tel: +420 224-227-981

The Estates Theatre (Stavovské divadlo) is where Don Giovanni was first performed. Although nowadays the sumptuously decorated auditorium hosts as much theatre as opera it is still possible to catch the occasional operatic performance, including, inevitably Don Giovanni.
Ovocny trh 1
Tel: +420 224-227-981

Although the Estates Opera might have the proudest pedigree of Prague's opera houses, the Státní Opera (State Opera) is the best place to catch a bit of opera nowadays. Inaugurated in 1887 the opera was known as The German Theatre until World War Two, when it was renamed. Now called the State Opera the programme of performances draws on the complete canon of European Opera.
Wilsonova trída 4
Tel: +420 224-229-898 for information.

Cinema

There are a number of cinemas mostly concentrated in Wenceslas Square. They screen the most recent American films, usually in English with Czech subtitles.

Nightclubs

While Prague excels at bars and the more earthy type of "Gentlemen's clubs" the city doesn't boast that many dance clubs. Music tends to be dated and venues are often cramped cellars or rooms tacked onto bars.

The city makes up for a lack of venues and sounds with a massive amount of enthusiasm however, and youngsters as well as tourists make a good fist of dancing the night away in such venues as are available. Club turnover is extremely high and nightspots often close with little warning, although inevitably somewhere in the city a new venue will be opening to take its place and you'll never struggle for some sort of night out.

A lot of visitors looking for some club life will fall into Jo's Garage - the rear cellar of Jo's Bar (Na Porici 30). Slightly off colour and dirty as it might be, Jo's has an infectious feel-good factor and the clientele - mostly young travellers - dance the night away enthusiastically to rock beats. The ever-popular Roxy (Dlouhá 33) might seem a little bit dated by Western standards but in fact is the most enduring of Prague's clubs. The club even manages to attract the odd middleweight DJ from the UK and live music from local outfits is sometimes on the cards.

For a more Latin American vibe, La Casa Blu (Kozi 15) provides a fine combination of pulsating rhythms and Mexican tapas. The inimitable Banana (Stupartska 9) is a funky club-cum-bar that defies a neat description; its mixed clientele jive to pop and Latino music. The Wednesday night cabaret shows are often the best night to visit.

For a genuine euroclub experience wander down to the Lavka Bar (next to the Charles Bridge) on Novotneho Lavka, by day a restaurant/café and by night a hugely popular disco/bar. Prague's party people also head to the Lucerna Music Bar (Vodickova 36) which spins a mixture of rock, pop and disco until the sun comes up.

Special Events

Considering that Prague is billed the "city of music" it is of little surprise to find that the majority of festivals that take place in the city are a celebration of music in one form or another.

January

Be sure not to miss the Christmas and New Year Concerts at the Villa Bertramka for a truly memorable experience. Concerts take place at 17h00 and there is an additional performance at 15h00 on New Years Day. The beautiful Villa Museum provides the perfect back-drop. Contact: +420 257-317-465.

April

Easter in the Czech Republic is celebrated on Easter Monday. Don't be alarmed to see grown men chasing women down the city streets with willow sticks. This is the traditional Pomlázka custom, when men go from door to door, fontking women on the backsides with willow sticks. Those who resist are chased down the street. In return, the women hand out painted eggs and sweets to the younger boys and shots of vodka to the older men. There is a long tradition in of hand painting real eggs for Easter, and you won't find Easter eggs of the chocolate variety. Another pagan festival, Witches Night, is held on April 30, to mark the end of winter and the coming of spring. Prague hosts a number of outdoor parties, where people dance around bonfires and burn the effigy of a witch on hilltops across the country.

April/May

Europe's largest amateur dancing event takes place in Prague at the end of April, when competitors from dance and theatre schools take to the stages across the city to compete in the annual, Festival Dance and Theatre Prize. All forms of dance are represented during the week, from classical and folk to modern, contemporary, hip-hop, jazz and funk.

May/June

Orchestras and spectators from around the world gather in Prague for the spectacular, Prague Spring International Music Festival. The festival commences on the anniversary of Smetana's death, the founder of Czech music. Following a ceremony at his grave, there is a procession to Smetana Hall, where the musical celebrations begin. Tel: +420 257-312-547, for information.

June/July

Dance Prague, the relatively new, two-week dance festival, comes to Prague in June. It is staged at the Archa Theatre and attracts performers in modern dance and movement, from all over the globe. Enthusiastic spectators are also invited to join in with workshops. Tel: +420 224-817-886.

September

A celebration of 18th, 19th and 20th-century classical music fills the air of Prague each autumn during the Prague Autumn International Music Festival. Orchestras and smaller groups of musicians will gather in three halls across the city for two weeks of classical celebration.

December

Known as St Sylvester's Day in the Czech Republic, New Year's Eve is a good time to be in Prague. The celebrations usually concentrate around Wenceslas Square. There are champagne stalls in the old town square and fireworks across the city.

 

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