Stage Design, Theatre Architecture

Věra Ptáčková, Barbora Příhodová, Simona Rybáková: Czech Theatre Costume

The first ever book on theatre costume in the Czech lands including a key text by Věra Ptáčková, the author of the legendary tome Czech Stage Design of the Twentieth Century, notes on contemporary use of theatre costume by Barbora Příhodová and also insights into the work of a major Czech costume designer Simona Rybáková. It offers some 400 illustrations, mainly from the rich archives of the Arts and Theatre Institute in Prague (Department of Collections and Archive and the Photography Fund).

In Czech and English.

Price 690 Kč / 263 pp / ISBN 978-80-7008-258-4 (IDU) and ISBN 978-80-86102-71-9 (Pražská scéna)

Marie Zdeňková, Josef Vomáčka: MIROSLAV MELENA - Scénographer and Architect

Miroslav Melena (1937-2008) doubtlessly belongs among the most important scenographers and theatre architects of the second half of the 20th Century. He was one of the last of those having studied with František Tröster at DAMU in Prague; he took part – cheek by jowl with the director Jan Schmid – in moulding the shape of the Studio Ypsilon Theatre (nowadays legendary) first in Liberec, then in Prague. Melena also worked with other treatres, both Czech and foreign, not only as a scenographer but as a theatre director, too. From 1970s on, he dedicated his talent to theatre architecture as well, from roofing over open-air summer stages all the way to redevelopment and reconstruction of theatre interiors. One only has to recall the Archa Theatre in Prague, City Theatre and Reduta Theatre in Brno, Highland (Horácké) Theatre in Jihlava, not to mention arange of theatres he worked on in the countries of former Yugoslavia. The publication coincides with the exhibition of the artist´s life-long work at the Old Town Hall in Prague in June 2011.

Price 390 Kč / 240 pp / ISBN 978-80-7008-255-3

Helena Albertová: Josef Svoboda – Scenographer

The monograph examines the scenographic work of the Czech stage designer and architect Josef Svoboda (1920–2002), from his first efforts as an amateur in his native town of Čáslav, to his final production in 2002. It endeavours to record his most important undertakings – his work at the Grand Opera of 5 May in Prague, overcoming socialist realism at the National Theatre in Prague, the golden years with Alfréd Radok and Otomar Krejča at the same theatre, the genesis, successes, and fate of Laterna Magika, entry onto the great world stage of opera and ballet, and work with prominent world directors in drama.
In the case of Josef Svoboda, it is not enough just to name and describe the productions he worked on, as an integral part of his work and world fame were his discoveries in the field of new theatre technologies. Expanding his ‘scenographic alphabet’, as he himself described the arsenal techniques that modern theatre can use in stage design, became his lifelong obsession. Better knowledge of Svoboda – the architect – should be provided by a chapter on his unrealised projects for theatre buildings. An important and innovative part of this monograph is the complete list of his works accompanied, wherever possible, by a small informative picture on each entry. In English.
Price 1100 Czk (cloth), 950 Czk (paperback) / 332 pp. / ISBN 978-80-7008-229-4

Marie Bílková, Věra Ptáčková, Jiří Hilmera, Vladimír Adamczyk: Zrcadlo světového divadla II (Pražské quadriennale 1995–1999) / A Mirror of the World Theatre II (Prague Quadriennale 1995–1999)

The book ties in with Věra Ptáčková’s A Mirror of World Theatre and charts the last two years of the Prague Quadrennial, the international exhibition of scenography and theatre architecture. The second volume also contains many photographs from that important exhibition.  
Price 440 Czk / 118 pp. / ISBN 80-7008-118-X

Exhibition on the Stage: Reflections on the 2007 Prague Quadrennial

The publication reflects on the Prague Quadrennial in 2007 from the perspective of foreign and Czech theatre arts experts, theatre critics, and artists. The book also presents an analysis of various aspects and trends of contemporary theatre design and architecture.
The editor of the book and author of one of its main articles is the American theatre arts expert and General Commissioner of the PQ 07, Arnold Aronson. The authors of other texts are the director and theorist Thea Brejzek (DE/SUI), the architect and stage designer Dorita Hannah (NZ), the theatre arts expert Ian Herbert (UK), the theatre critic Thomas Irmer (DE), and stage design expert Marie Zdeňková (CZ). The book is published in English and contains almost 200 colour photographs of the exhibition and of the lively programme and student projects.
Price 499 Czk / 112 pp. / ISBN 978-80-7008-219-5

František Tröster – The Poet of Light and Space

The stage work of František Tröster was already study by his contemporaries and today it is the subject of numerous studies and articles. The exclusiveness of Tröster’s work lies in its absolute allegiance to the scenic space. Neither image nor architecture, his design was purely an integral part of the dramatic work.
Price 950 Czk / 191 pp. / ISBN 978-80-86339-38-2

Jarmila Gabrielová: A Chronicle of the Prague Quadrennial

The tenth year of the Prague Quadrennial and the fortieth year since the PQ was first founded served as an impulse to write up a history of this international exhibition of scenography and theatre architecture. It chronicles the history of events that have accompanied the years of the PQ from 1967 to 2003. The publication also contains some contemporary documents and several now historical photographs of the locations where the PQ has taken place.
Price 220 Czk / 310 pp. / ISBN 978-80-7008-211-9

Jiří Hilmera: Czech Theatre Architecture

The book focuses on the historical development of theatre buildings and theatre spaces in the Czech lands from earliest records (circa 1600) to the present. It records both structures that were actually built and project proposals from various competitions. 
Price 290 Czk / 319 pp. / ISBN 80-7008-087-6

Patronage, Spectacle and the Stage

The volume contains sixteen selected papers from an international theatre arts conference of the same name organised by the Theatre Institute and FIRT in connection with the Prague Quadrennial in June 2003 in Prague. An exploration of the relationship between stage design and the functional conditions of the theatre: various forms of support and funding for the theatre and their influence on the formation of aesthetic, ideological, and operational aspects of stage design. The volume was edited by Irene Eynat-Confino and Eva Šormová. In English.
Price 280 Czk / 184 pp. / ISBN 80-7008-190-2

Prague Quadrennial 2003

The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of Theatre

This representative catalogue of the Prague Quadrennial 2003 showcases the entire world exhibition of scenography and theatre architecture that year, including its accompanying events. It is organised by sections (national exhibits, theatre architecture, schools of stage design), the descriptions of the exhibited works are accompanied by rich colour photographs, and considerable space is devoted to the programme of the unique interactive ‘Heart of the PQ’ project and the international summer academy in stage design OISTAT SCENOFEST. It also includes an index of names.
Price 490 Czk / 350 pp. / ISBN 80-7008-144-9

Prague Quadrennial 67–03: 40 Years of the Prague Quadrennial

The DVD charts the history of the Prague Quadrennial, the world exhibition of scenography and theatre architecture, from its foundation in 1967 to its tenth year in 2003. The DVD contains brief excerpts from different years, an overview of participating countries, an overview of the award winners, and more information. In addition to a one-hour audiovisual presentation it contains more than 800 photographs of the best exhibits, which also represent the best work in world scenography at the time. In English.
Price 499 Czk

Prague Quadrennial 2007

The DVD Prague Quadrennial 2007 contains a fifteen-minute documentary that captures the vibrant atmosphere of the eleventh year of the PQ in 2007, a video and photographs of the exhibits from the 51 participating countries and of live events, including the project Scenofest, a complete catalogue, and other bonus materials. In English.
Price 359 Czk

Prague Quadrennial 2003

The DVD Prague Quadrennial 2003 showcases the tenth year of this world exhibition of scenography and theatre architecture, with extensive photographs and videos of individual exhibits and projects, and considerable space is devoted to the unique interactive ‘Hear of the Prague Quadrennial’ project. 
Price 350 Czk