ABOUT THE OPERA

Chorus of the National Theatre
National Theatre Orchestra

The story of the legend is known from various adaptations, from Cosmas' Chronicle of the 12th century to the still-popular "Old Czech Legends" by Alois Jirásek, first published in 1894. During the Czech National Revival in the 19th century, Czech mythology inspired many artists. They were also influenced by the forged Manuscripts of Dvůr Králové and Zelená Hora. In the visual arts, it significantly influenced the decoration of the building of the Prague National Theatre. In music, alongside Libuše and Šárka, we find parts of Smetana's cycle "Má vlast" (Vyšehrad and Šárka), and we can also mention the thematically related "Vlasta's Death" by composer Otakar Ostrčil. It is apparent that the librettist Anežka Schulzová, a pupil of Jaroslav Vrchlický, and the composer closely collaborated on the work and that their love was positively influenced. "Šárka" was first performed on December 28, 1897, on the stage of the National Theatre, with music conducted by Adolf Čech, directed by Adolf Krössing, and set design by Robert Holzer and Mikoláš Aleš. Aleš's artistic style became the traditional representation for the costumes in most subsequent productions. The first Šárka was the outstanding soprano, then twenty-eight-year-old Růžena Maturová, among other roles, the first performer of Dvořák's "Rusalka."

The new production will be presented at the National Theatre more than forty-five years after the last performance. The musical direction will be led by the Opera Director of the National Theatre, Robert Jindra, who has invited German director Kay Link to collaborate.

Performers:
Conductor - Robert Jindra

Creators:Direction - Kay Link
Set Design - Frank Albert
Costume Design - Nina Reichmann
Dramaturgy - Beno Blachut