On Sunday evening, at the invitation of Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will attend the ceremonial opening of the refurbished Prague State Opera House.

According to the information of Bertalan Havasi, the Prime Minister’s press chief, before the two-part gala concert, Mr Babis and Mr Orbán will view the building together.

The refurbishment and modernisation of the building located in the centre of Prague, in the vicinity of the equestrian statue of St. Wenceslas, between the Czech National Museum and the main railway station, began in the spring of 2017. The companies of the State Opera relocated to the building at the end of last year. The ceremonial gala programme directed by Alice Nellis will acquaint viewers with the history of the four companies operating in the building.

According to the Opera House’s communication, the building’s auditorium and stage built in Neo-Rococo style were restored as far as possible to their original designs as seen after the opening of the theatre. The auditorium seats 1,016 spectators. In every velvet seat, members of the audience will be able to follow events on the stage in different languages with the aid of touchscreen displays.

The New German Theatre, which served as a theatrical venue for the German community in Prague, was opened in the building of today’s Czech State Opera in 1888. After World War II, German theatres in Prague were closed, and the Czech State Opera was installed in the building of the New German Theatre.

(MTI)