lmavolio

Hi There - Any recommendations on which concerts/performances to see while in Prague? What are the most popular performances and the best theaters in which to see them? I've heard the Estates Theater is beautiful and I think the Municipal House & National Theater are also very nice as well?? I will probably only see one concert while there. Not sure if it makes sense to try to see something at a smaller theater or a cathedral instead. Let me know what you think. I will be there next week, so not sure if there are "special" concerts going on around the holiday season. I've heard of Don Giovanni, but not sure if it's a complete tourist trap. Any recommendations would be much appreciated. I do enjoy classical music and opera, but I am certainly not an afficianado in either area - (in fact, I've never seen an opera)! Also, should I buy my tickets in advance or wait until I get there. How much do they run?? Thanks so much!! I leave next week and can use all the help I can get...Laura

Cimbrone

When I was there (10 years or so ago) concert tickets of all kinds were readily available. So, unless you see something you know you want to see, I'd wait 'til I got there.

Personally, I think some nice baroque music in a church would be very nice. I went to see "The Magic Flute" when I was there. I thought it was a terrible production, and it was in one of the beautiful theaters--don't remember which one. It did seem to be for the tourist trade, not very professionally done. But, while I've been to several operas, I'm no expert, so I could be wrong.

If you've never been to an opera, I personally wouldn't start with Mozart and certainly nothing as dark as Don Giovanni. Verdi and Puccini are, justifiably, crowd-pleasers. Is anything by either of them playing anywhere? You're more likely to find Mozart in Prague, I'm guessing, since he is from the region.

Honestly, you might see better opera in your own town (based on my experience).

Scotia

The beautiful Devorak Hall is at the Rudolfinum which is the home of the Czech Philharmonic. That is where you will probably hear the best classical musicians. There seem to be concerts held all over Prague in churches,halls and the Municipal House (during the tourist season anyway) which are advertised by handbills distributed on the street. The Smetana Hall at the Municipal House is not to be missed even if you don't attend a concert there.

ferdun

In Prague, you will meet lots of costumed people handing out leaflets near the Municipal House. The performance they tout is not in Smetana Hall but in a basement room-quite amateurish.
Consult the tourist info office when you arrive for available music. There are fine musicians in Prague and a few tourist trap performances.

cheribob

I was in Prague a few years ago. I stayed at the Prague Palace hotel. In the hotel lobby there was a table that contained leflets of all the nightly concerts.

My cousin and MIL went to see a concert in a church on Old Town Square. They said it was very good but COLD! (We were there in March) They said the concert was 90 minutes which was good b/c that was about all they could stand sitting in an unheated cathedral at night in March!

The next night we all went to see a concert in the Municipal Building in Smetana Hall. We heard Dvorak's New World Symphony (I can die happy now). The hall was very nice. It was heated and there was a coat check (very efficently run also). I thought the orchestra was excellant.

For our final night we went to see a Prague specialty - Pantomime Theater. (Be sure to get there early so you can sit in the front row!)We really enjoyed that also.

I believe the tickets were about 20E for the concerts and pantomime. We bought the tickets for the Dvorak concert that afternoon. The pantomime tickets I THINK we bought at the door.

I hope this helps.