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Nové Mesto | Dance
Funky, contemporary, and underground, Archa is the main venue for modern theater, dance, and avant-garde music. Some visiting troupes perform in English, and other shows are designated as English-friendly in the program. The centrally located theater opened in 1994, and is often referred to as the Alternative National Theater.
Na Poříčí 26, Prague, Praha, 110 00, Czech Republic
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Ballroom scenes in the movie Van Helsing used the interior of this beautiful baroque church, probably the most famous of its kind in Prague. The building's dome was one of the last works finished by architect Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer before his death in 1751, and a memorial service to Mozart was held here after his death. Local ensembles play concerts of popular classics here throughout the year.
Malostranské nám., 110 00, Czech Republic
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Nové Mesto | Film
Easily the city's handsomest old movie palace, this art nouveau venue was designed by former President Václav Havel's grandfather and built in 1916. It's a great place to recapture the romance and glamour of film. Grab a drink at the bar, where there is sometimes a live piano player, even if the interior could do with a little more love. Watch out for the upside-down horse sculpture, plus rider, in the passage outside—it's a sly echo of one on the square, which has the Czech Republic's patron saint, St. Wenceslas, the right way up.
Vodičkova 36, Prague, Praha, 110 00, Czech Republic
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This is the main stage in the Czech Republic for drama, dance, and opera. The interior, with its ornate and etched ceilings, is worth the visit alone. Most of the theater performances are in Czech, but some operas have English supertitles, and ballet is an international language—right? Book the opera online ahead of time for fantastic discounts; you'll get to see top-quality performances in sumptuous surroundings at a snip of the price you could pay in other European capitals. The New Stage, next door, as well as the Estates Theater and Prague State Opera are all part of the National Theater system.
Národní 2, 110 00, Czech Republic
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The cool glass-block façade of the New Stage, which opened in 1983, stands out among the ornate 19th-century buildings in the area. Black-light theater company Laterna Magika (which takes its name from the original black-light presentation at Expo '58) performs here, and the rest of the program schedule is handled through the National Theater. Contemporary dance pieces and other language-free performances dominate the calendar.
Národní 4, 110 00, Czech Republic
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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The group's nickname, FOK, stands for Film-Opera-Koncert. They started in 1934, but it wasn't until 1952 that they became the official city orchestra. In the 1930s they did music for many Czech films, although they don't do much opera and film anymore. The ensemble tours extensively and has a large back catalog of recordings. Programs tend to be quite diverse, from Beethoven to Bruckner.
Nám. Republiky 5, 110 00, Czech Republic
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Austrian Crown Prince Rudolf lent his name to this neo-Renaissance concert space and exhibition gallery built in 1884; it's only been open to the public since 1992. The impressive building has an interesting history: after 1918 it was converted into the parliament of the newly independent Czechoslovakia, until German invaders reinstated it as a space for music in 1939. The large concert hall, named for Antonín Dvořák, who conducted here, hosts concerts with the Czech Philharmonic. The smaller Josef Suk Hall, on the opposite side of the building, is used for chamber concerts. Rival theaters may have richer interiors, but the acoustics here are excellent (and the exterior is also pretty fancy, with some of the cleanest, brightest stonework in the city). Tours are available, but hearing live music here is what it is all about.
Alšovo nábř. 12, 110 00, Czech Republic
Arts/Entertainment Details
Rate Includes: Concert prices vary; tours are 150 Kč, Closed Mon.
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Nové Mesto | Music
It's impossible to visit Prague without knowing that Mozart conducted the world premiere of Don Giovanni on this stage way back in 1787. Fittingly, the interior was used for scenes in Miloš Forman's movie Amadeus. It's stylish and refined without being distracting. This is a branch of the National Theater, and high-quality productions of Mozart are usually in the repertoire together with other classic operas, plays, and the occasional smaller ballet.
Ovocný trh 6, Prague, Praha, 110 00, Czech Republic
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Built in the 1780s in the classical style, this opulent, green palais hosted the world premiere of Mozart's opera Don Giovanni in October 1787 with the composer himself conducting. Savvy Prague audiences were quick to acknowledge Mozart's genius: the opera was an instant hit here, though it flopped nearly everywhere else in Europe. Mozart wrote some of the opera's second act in Prague at the Villa Bertramka (in Smíchov), where he was a frequent guest. The program these days is mixed, incorporating demanding Czech drama alongside opera, ballet, and musical performances. You must attend a performance to see inside, although the interior, the history, and the quality of the shows here combined make it absolutely worth it; buy tickets via the National Theater.
Ovocný trh 1, 110 00, Czech Republic
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One of the more creative festivals on the Prague circuit, the 4+4 Days in Motion festival offers art projects, installations, performances, and discussions in venues across the city. The venues are half the fun—think reclaimed, little-used palaces surrounding Staré Mĕsto. The festival is themed around contemporary dance and usually takes place in the fall.
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Žižkov | Film
Film junkies make the trek to this out-of-the-way gem of a theater knowing it's worth the trip. The tiny cinema is hidden in the middle of a residential block, and keeps an ambitious schedule of two or three different films a day: festivals, retrospectives, oldies but goodies (think Scarface and The Big Lebowski) plus feature films with English subtitles. Czech translations are done through headphones. Visiting guests have included Terry Gilliam, Godfrey Reggio, and Paul Morrisey. The theater also has an outdoor beer garden in the summer months and a lively indoor bar year-round.
Biskupcova 31, Prague, Praha, 130 00, Czech Republic
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This is an excellent venue for organ concerts thanks to the church's organ itself, which was finished in 1709 and restored in the early 1980s to its original tone structure. All those years later, it's still one of the best in town.
Malá Štupartská 6, 110 00, Czech Republic
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Listen to small ensembles playing well-known Vivaldi and other classical "greatest hits" in this spectacular Romanesque setting, dating back to the 11th century.
Nám. U sv. Jiří, 119 08, Czech Republic
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Holešovice | Film
Bargain ticket prices, live music before the films, and a schedule that offers greater variety and more "big name" films are just a few reasons to check out this theater outside the city center. New international releases as well as Czech films (sometimes with subtitles) and festival series give Oko a varied lineup. There's a refurbished bar and café here outfitted with Wi-Fi, and it even offers a video streaming service.
Františka Křížka 15, Prague, Praha, 170 00, Czech Republic
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The big daddy in town: Antonín Dvořák conducted the orchestra's first performance back in 1896, and guest conductors have included Gustav Mahler and Leonard Bernstein. Performances are of a consistently high quality, and most programs include some works by Czech composers. They also offer public dress rehearsals for a mere 160 Kč (book early though, because they are an understandably popular bargain).
Nám. Jana Palacha, 110 00, Czech Republic
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Smíchov | Film
Cinema City Nový Smíchov feels like your usual multiplex until you try the "4DX" experience, which involves moving seats and special effects in your seat like fog and lightning. Located in the Nový Smíchov shopping center, the cinema is an experience for all five senses.
Nový Smíchov, Obchodní centrum Nový Smíchov, Prague, Praha, 150 00, Czech Republic
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Vinohrady | Film
This venue has "Oskar-IMAX," a large-format theater that shows many short films in 3-D and the occasional feature on a very large screen. Most IMAX presentations are dubbed; other screens offer the standard multiplex experience.
Vinohradská 151, Prague, Praha, 120 00, Czech Republic
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Nové Mesto | Film
This is pretty much the only multiplex in the center of town that runs about 10 movies at once, mostly the latest Hollywood films in English (with Czech subtitles). It occasionally runs Czech films with English subtitles.
Na Přikopé 22, Prague, Praha, 110 00, Czech Republic
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One of the most well-respected ensembles in town, Collegium Marianum is your best bet if you are looking to explore baroque music. They often revive seldom-heard works from archives and perform them on period instruments. Performances are usually organized around a historical or geographical theme.
Vodičkova 700/32, 110 00, Czech Republic
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Music
This major full-size orchestra plays most often at the Rudolfinum. The orchestra has attracted some well-known guest conductors, and performs classical, jazz, and some film scores.