I spent this weekend exploring Prague, though not in the way I imagined. Instead of following Rick Steves' advice I stuck with Eva for a more unconventional weekend of "sightseeing" (if you could call it that). On Thursday night Eva and I celebrated Valentines day by starting the night off at our most regular spot: The Globe. They had Valentines day specials so I bought myself some chocolate cake just to make sure I know I'm loved haha. After chatting with some of my program mates, Eva and I moved to a well known spot called Cross Club. We were excited to finally hear some good music only to find a terrible American punk band screaming into the microphone about beer and lost love... We decided to give them a chance even though the 20 other people around us were not exactly our type of crowd. When the band finished we really just couldn't stand it any longer and moved back to Chapeau Rouge where we've been before. Last time we went to Chapeau Rouge we were bothered by a group of 17 year old British kids who attempted to convince us they were 20. On top of that annoyance, the DJ played an extremely monotonous beat which got old after about two minutes. Eva and I decided to give it another chance since we're capable of having a good time anywhere there's dance floor. This time we were introduced to some 17 year old Norwegian and Danish guys who grabbed Eva's stomach and got uncomfortably close to my face... Might not go back again. Despite the overall strange night, we had a blast and headed home.
On Friday night we were determined to do better for ourselves. We started out at The Meet Factory which was founded by David Černý as a club and an art gallery. The space was amazing and we fit in with the people perfectly. We listened to a bit of live music before a DJ took the stage and played the best music we've heard in Prague so far. We stayed for quite a while before heading towards home to stop at a bar where one of the Czech buddies works as a bartender. The ground floor was a hip little cafe while the lower level was a bar and club. Another decent DJ played music while we hung out and danced. We finally decided to head home after the first really fantastic night here.
Look how cool this place is!
Last night I went to the National Theater to see Rusalka, a Czech opera by Dvořak. There are two versions showing in Prague currently. The more traditional version is playing in the National Opera while we saw a more modern interpretation.
This is a picture my friend took of the ceiling and chandelier in the theater:
In act 1 Rusalka, the daughter of a water goblin named Vodnik, falls in love with a human prince who hunts near the lake where they live. She begs an evil witch to make her human so she can know human love. The witch agrees, but only after taking Rusalka's voice and warning her that if her love betrays her they will both be cursed. In Act 2 the human prince laments over Rusalka's silence and cold embrace. The evil witch, disguised as a foreign princess, takes advantage of his cold feet and wins the prince over. As soon as the prince changes his loyalties, Rusalka is cursed and sent back to her watery home. In the final act, Rusalka's sisters, angry that she spurned them for human love, condemn her to a life spent bringing men to their watery graves. The witch attempts to convince Rusalka to kill her former lover, though she chooses her sad fate over the knife the witch offers. Finally, the prince comes to the lake searching for his love. Rusalka warns him he will die if she embraces him. Despite this the prince chooses death in Rusalka's arms over life without her. The opera ends when Rusalka sings that the embrace does not change her cursed fate as a demon of the water.
The set was one of my favorite parts of the opera. It was fairly minimalistic and used mainly sheer sheets and light to convey the underwater scenes. The sheets went up and down to suggest dropping underwater and emerging from the lake. In addition, teal lights revealed silhouettes behind the sheets which was astoundingly beautiful. I also enjoyed the motifs referring to the sins of humanity. During the prince's betrayal his party guests drank, seduced, and grabbed at each other suggesting that humans have no loyalty and feel no true love. I would love to go back, perhaps to see a more traditional opera that I could compare to the style of Rusalka. It shouldn't be too difficult to see another opera because the National Theater offers students 50 crown tickets thirty minutes before the show. Where else will I ever have the chance to see such a beautiful performance for only $2.50?!
Here's a picture of the wedding party scene:
And one of the underwater scenes:
Next weekend I promise to see the touristy side of Prague. I've decided to save the Castle Quarter for when it gets warmer since I've seen most of the sights besides the garden. I've already seen Old Town and most of New Town since I walk around there almost everyday for class, though there are a few museums I'd love to check out before I leave. I think I'll tackle those spots on a week where I haven't spent too much already so I won't feel bad splurging on a few museums. Český Krumlov ran my weekly amount of money pretty dry. Next week I'll try to see the Little Quarter, which is the area I've explored the least. Wish me luck on my second Czech exam tomorrow! Just verb conjugations and descriptive words.
P.S. The title of this entry means "Alas, pale unhappy Rusalka." It was one of Vodnik's lines that was repeated throughout the opera. =)
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