Prague Premiere of “Deaf Empire” Celebrates the Father of Czech Music

Nationalism, art, revolution and what it means to be Czech are questions that burned through Prague society in the 1800s.

The notion of what it is to be Czech, and art as the urgent heartbeat of nationalism, unfolds in this play which will have its Prague premiere on March 3, 4, 5, 9 and 10 Divadlo Kolowrat, Kolowratský Palác.

Smetana insisted on the validity of Czech melodies and themes in classical music and opera, and achieved significant social prominence. But he was not immune to tragedy. The death of his wife and children and complete loss of hearing seemingly destroyed the composer’s career.

William Valerián (Úplné Zatmění, Klicperovo Divadlo) stars as the revivalist poet Jan Neruda who, alongside Smetana, becomes enchanted by the pursuit of nationalism through art.

“Smetana’s story is inherently dramatic, from his struggle to be taken seriously as a Czech composer, to the deaths of his wife and children, and his perseverance during his own physical and mental decline,” said Delbos.

“Deaf Empire explores the complex conflicts of Smetana’s life and music, and through that we also learn something about the roles of friendship and art in times of crisis, both personal and political.”

The world premiere of this telling of Smetana’s complex, passionate and turbulent life comes amid a political climate in our modern world heavy with questions of nationalism and the place of art and resistance within the social order.

All performances are at 19:00; the play is in English with Czech subtitles.

Deaf Empire is produced by Prague Shakespeare Company and directed by Amy Huck.