This weekend in Prague: WiFi inventor Hedy Lamarr stars in the Czechoslovak film 'Extase'

Swedish rock band Royal Republic kicks off Prague's 2023 concert season at Divadlo Archa on Jan. 6. The group came together in 2007 and had four albums, with 2019's "Club Majesty" as the most recent.

Hear hits from the Red Hot Chili Peppers performed by the cover band Paprikacze at Wagon on Jan. 6. The four-member band plays songs from across the RHCP catalog.

Vocalist and guitarist Jonathan Ramirez leads his own band at Jazz Dock on Jan. 7. Ramirez, who hails from Mexico, began his career in Czechia with Yvonne Sanchez's band and has worked with other local stars.

Two morning concerts aimed at children under 3 years old take place at the New Town Hall at Karlovo náměstí on Jan. 7. Kvarteto Gaudioso will play classical music, and the cafe will be open for refreshments.

The holiday season comes to an end with the Three Kings Parade, which starts on Jan. 6 in Malostranské náměstí at 3:30 p.m. and makes its way to Old Town Square in time for a rendition of the Czech Christmas Mass at 5 p.m.

Giuseppe Verdi's sad-clown opera Rigoletto is at the State Opera on Jan. 7 with English and Czech surtitles. This staging, which premiered in 2021, is directed by the award-winning newcomer Barbora Horáková Joly,

There is a chance to see a belated Three Kings Parade at Chvalský zámek on Jan 8. The closing of the holiday season runs from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will also feature children's choirs.

Matěj Forman, known for his whimsical set design, directs a family-friendly staging of Engelbert Humperdinck's opera Hänsel und Gretel. The familiar Brothers Grimm fairy tale was turned into an opera in 1893 and has become a staple on stages in Germany. You can see it in Czech English and Czech surtitles at the State Opera on Jan 8.

Val Kilmer stars as Jim Morrison in The Doors: Final Cut. This edition of Oliver Stone's 1991 biopic is actually slightly shorter, as Stone opted to remove a scene near the end that he felt didn't work. You can see it at Aero on Jan. 6 as part of the Legends series.

Gustav Machatý's 1933 film Ecstasy (Extase), which was shot in and around Prague, turns 90 years old this month. It was restored in 2019, and an English-friendly screening will take place at Ponrepo on Jan. 6. The film shot Austrian actress Hedy Lamarr – originally Hedwig Kiesler – to international fame, and she soon went to Hollywood. Lamarr in real life was more than just a sex symbol. She invented a radio frequency hopping system that later became the basis for WiFi, Bluetooth, mobile phones, and GPS.

The Belgian film Close won the Grand Prix at the most recent Cannes film festival, among other awards. The coming-of-age drama with LGBT+ themes will be at Edison Filmhub on Jan. 7 with English and Czech subtitles.

The animated adventure Puss in Boots: The Last Wish has a screening in the original English version at Edison Filmhub on Jan. 8 at 2 p.m. Most other showings of this film are dubbed in Czech.

The Norwegian film The Worst Person in the World screens at Edison Filmhub on Jan. 8 with English and Czech subtitles. The film by Joachim Trier has earned critical acclaim and multiple awards including Best Actress at the 2021 Cannes festival for star Renate Reinsve.

Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker recorded at the Royal Opera House in London will be at MAT on Jan. 8. Fumi Kaneko and William Bracewell star in this production, which has choreography by Peter Wright and Lev Ivanov.

Did you get a gift that you don't want? You can participate in Daruj Naději by dropping off clothes and other useful items at Vzlet in Prague 10 until Jan. 7 during normal opening hours. The items will be given to people in shelters who can use them.