From Otway to Singspiels : Early Performances of Restoration Theatre in the Czech Lands
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| Year of publication | 2022 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | Even though the history of translating, printing and staging Restoration plays is not extensive, it is still worthy of close examination as it illustrates the role Restoration drama played in the establishment of Enlightenment theatre customs in Bohemia and Moravia. English Restoration drama was notably staged in the Kotce Theatre, Prague’s first public city theatre, where it related to the figure of Johann Joseph Brunian (1733–1781). As a theatre manager, director, and actor, Brunian introduced the public to Otway’s Venice Preserv’d or J. Hiller’s singspiels, which relied heavily on its ballad-opera heritage. With Brunian, the Restoration repertoire travelled to other cities where the director found employment, representing a change in the theatre dramaturgy of the period. Restoration drama, despite being staged only sporadically, continued to be viewed as intellectual, demonstrating the theatre company’s ability to produce classical drama pieces, which was perceived to be a merit well into the 19th century, especially at the provinces of the Austrian empire. |
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