Reconstruction and Reopening, 1883 To 1977
The interior artwork was done by Mikoláš Aleš and František Ženíšek. The building of the National Theatre was inaugurated on November 18, 1883, with a performance of Smetana’s festive opera Libuše, composed for this occasion. The building, with perfect technical equipment (electric illumination, a steel-constructed stage), served without any extensive modifications for almost one hundred years. It was only on April 1, 1977, following a performance of the Lantern by Jirásek, that the theatre was closed down for six years.
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