Fodor's Expert Review Stavovské divadlo

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.