The open-air event Národní on the Water takes place in central Prague on the Vltava, always from 8:00 PM on two June Saturdays — 19 and 26 June. The orchestras of the National Theatre and the State Opera, together with their soloists, will present the very best from the opera repertoire of the country's leading stage.
The programme on each evening will differ. On 19 June, the audience can look forward to arias and duets from The Bartered Bride and Rusalka, as well as Bizet's Carmen, Rossini's The Barber of Seville and Puccini's Turandot. Under the baton of National Theatre Opera music director Jaroslav Kyzlink, the National Theatre Orchestra will perform with soloists including Alžběta Poláčková, Aleš Briscein and Svatopluk Sem. The boat with the musicians on board will set off near the National Theatre, and at its first stop between Shooter's Island and Kampa, the music will begin at 8:00 PM. After passing through the lock it will head to the second stop — the marina at Rašín Embankment. The music will start there at around 8:50 PM. The final spot where audiences will be able to enjoy this unusual programme is the Upper Embankment in Smíchov, where the boat arrives at around 9:20 PM.
On the following date, 26 June, the programme will feature the most famous works, mainly by international composers. You can look forward to La donna è mobile from Rigoletto, Triumphal March from Aida, Libiamo from La traviata, and more. There will be just one stopping place on this date — between Shooter's Island and Kampa, near Legion Bridge. On Prague's islands, the United Island festival is taking place on the same date, and the National Theatre's music boat will be part of the overall programme. At this stop, the musicians, led by soloists Jana Sibera and Martin Šrejma, will perform between 8:00 and 8:30 PM.
In the event of bad weather (rain, strong wind), the event will be cancelled.
