Rich Selection in Brno National Theater in February: Australian Comedy “Night of Fools”, Verdi’s Opera “Don Carlos”, and the Mesmerizing Ballet of “Swan Lake”

Brno theatregoers can choose between four English-friendly dramas at Mahen Theatre in February, including the premiere of Australian comedy “Night of Fools”, described as “like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest if it was a comedy”. Some of the most prominent world-famous ballet and opera spectacles will also be coming to Brno: Giuseppe Verdi’s restless and powerful opera “Don Carlos”, directed by the head of the Brno National Theatre (NdB); and Tchaikovsky’s most loved and mesmerising classical ballet “Swan Lake”, under the lead of the choreographer of Milan’s La Scala, with a completely new stage and costume design. Photo credit: Vladimír KIVA Novotný. // NdB.

Drama (with English subtitles)

At the end of the winter, the Brno National Theatre will be featuring four shows with English subtitles for foreigners interested in Czech theatre.

On Thursday February 7, Dr. Lionel Logue gives some effective speech training to the King of England in the popular “K-K-K-King’s Speech”.

A week later, the theatre will host a Valentine night, as mime artist Jean-Baptiste Debureau meets Garance, the love of his life. This adaptation of the famous French film “Children of Paradise”, based on the script by Jacques Prévert, is an epic love story full of intrigue and jealousy. The production of the show, entitled “Milenci nebes”, is on Valentine’s Day – Thursday February 14.

“If One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was a comedy, it would look like this!”

The theatre’s winter program will also feature laughter, as a young director attempts to rehearse Mozart’s opera “Così fan tutte” with patients of an asylum as part of their therapy. You can find out if he succeeds on February 22 in the brand new comedy at Mahen Theatre, “Night of Fools” [“Noc bláznů”, in the original “Così”].

The partially biographical comedy, which goes behind the scenes of a theatre production in the very specific environment of Melbourne’s Plenty Mental Home, was conceived by Australia’s Louis Nowra, who has written over fourteen original plays and dozens of screenplays as well as four opera librettos.

If you want to get to know the classics of Czech literature, we would recommend the theatrical adaptation of Jaroslav Havlíček’s “Kerosene Lamps” at the Mahen Theatre on February 24. Hana Tomáš Briešťanská, the lead character, won a prestigious Thálie award for her performance.

Opera

Opera will be represented in one of its finest examples, in one of the masterpieces of the 19th century by one of the best known composers of all time: “Don Carlos” by Giuseppe Verdi. “Don Carlos” premiered on Saturday night at the Janacek Theatre, with a rousing performance that used the new rotating stage to great effect, featured emotional arias and brought the audience to its feet.

The timeless story, sophisticated psychological characters, and the masterful musical capture of their deepest emotional states, are some of the qualities that have made “Don Carlos” a captivating experience for many generations of audiences. The opera, based on a dramatic story of political intrigue, forbidden passion, and crushing betrayal by Friedrich Schiller, is set in late-Renaissance era France and Spain.

“Don Carlos premiered on Saturday night at the Janacek Theatre, with a rousing performance that used the new rotating stage to great effect, featured emotional arias and brought the audience to its feet.”

The voice of “Brno’s Carlos” will be the Italian tenor Luciano Mastro j. H. The show is directed by Martin Glaser, current head of the Brno National Theater.

Janacek Theatre will stage “Don Carlos” in the Italian original with Czech and English subtitles on February 14, 23, and 24.

Ballet

One hundred years after its premiere, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” will return to Janacek Theater on February 19. Inspired by a Scandinavian legend about a girl who turned into a swan, Tchaikovsky wrote lyrical and melodic music that became one of the most perfect examples of a romantic ballet score.

Brno Ballet has been preparing for the relaunched premiere of “Swan Lake” with the traditional choreography of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, under the experienced lead of the prominent longtime ballet master of La Scala, Robert Strajner. The theatre promises a spectacular and original stage design by Peter Horne and costumes from Roman Šolc.

Odetta, Siegfried, and the rest of the characters will be gracing the stage at Janacek Theatre on February 19, 20, 22, and 27. Tickets are selling fast, so don’t wait too long if you want to see this classic.

On Wednesday, February 13, Ballet NdB will perform the successful show “Made in the USA” for the last time. As the name suggests, this production is dedicated to choreographers living and working in the United States of America. “Made in the USA” has earned a positive reputation and great popularity among Brno audiences. The dramaturgy of the evening is very varied and makes for a great spectacle of extraordinary choreographic quality.

Photo gallery: Costume and stage design, rehearsals (by Jakub Jíra). Credit: NdB.

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