Statement of staff from the State Opera gala concert

Statement of staff from the State Opera gala concert June 6, 2011

Ladies and gentlemen, dear viewers,

Allow me to acquaint you before the concert with the current statement of employees of the State Opera Prague: orchestral musicians, choir members, dancers, soloists, technical and administrative staff represented by trade unions.

Today at a press conference, Minister of Culture Jiří Besser M.D. announced a merger of the State Opera and National Theatre to the 1st of January 2012. We strongly reject the return of the Prague opera and ballet scene to the era of the communist regime following the violent merger by Zdeněk Nejedlý, when the Smetana Theatre was a dependent and invisible part of the National Theatre.

Behind the transparent promise of a salary increase – which nobody will ever see – is hidden a primitive intention to divert the staff of both theatres from further protest against these unacceptable systemic steps.

On Wednesday 8 June trade unions convene a press conference to be held at 10:30 am at the House of Trade Unions on the Winston Churchill Square. The petition for maintaining a separate State Opera will be handed to the Prime Minister Petr Nečas on Tuesday 14 June. At the same time we will ask what interests are in the opaque background of the merger of the State Opera Prague with the National Theatre, the building of new joint facilities, ie, workshops and rehearsal rooms, the National Theatre and State Opera and the upcoming sale of the National Theatre Workshop at Flora, warehouses at Apolinář and the Anenský complex, which today houses among other parts of the National Theatre Ballet. We want to know what is behind the upcoming general reconstruction of the Prague State Opera, for which the company Di5 has already developed an extensive project for approximately 680 000 CZK. We demand to know what building lobby is the reason of the violent transformation of the Prague opera houses.

We want to know the answer to the question why the management of the State Opera commissioned the National Theatre director Ondřej Černý, a failed manager that led his contributory organization (National Theatre) to loss-making operations for two years in a row, and who is this year systematically trying to bring to a loss even the State Opera. The National Theatre did not end in the red numbers only for the price of pumping its reserve fund to cover the losses. We want to know why the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic has been tolerating for two years for the National Theatre in Prague to really manage with a loss and allows this to extend to another theatre.

We want to know the reasons which led the Minister of Culture to reject the progressive project of the suspended manager in charge Radim Dolanský for the Prague State Opera to co-operate with two world figures, conductor Jan Latham-Koenig, and Director of the Royal Opera House in London, Ms Elaine Padmore, and at the same time to approve as the head of the State Opera Dr. Černý and the inexperienced Rocc Rappl, whose previous work in the National Theatre in Brno as the director of the opera is very problematic.

Dr. Černý also systematically provides false information to the media. Among them are claims on the Internet website of the magazine Opera Plus that no staff changes have occurred at the State Opera. Anna Tesařová, a former employee of the National Theatre who was appointed manager, that has no experience with such a position and brings chaos to the operation. The new lawyer is the administrative and legal director of the National Theatre Andrea Volfová, the future director of the National Theatre Opera Rocc works part-time there, as are the Chief Financial Officer Martin Gerych and Bedřich Gregorini, both also from the National Theatre.

We want to know why there is no space in Prague for two differently shaped ballet ensembles, especially when the Prague State Opera Ballet has a high attendance and is financially successful. Under the leadership of one of the most important artists Ms. Hana Vláčilová it is also a guarantee of the preservation of classical ballet in Prague.

Cancellation of a separate State Opera is yet another problematic and uncultured decision of the Minister of Culture Jiří Besser, M.D., as in the question of the director of the National Gallery or approved demolition of the house No. 1601 on the corner of Wenceslas Square and Opletalova street in Prague.

Ladies and gentlemen, this concert, which was initiated by State Opera Ballet in Prague, is dedicated to you, all our supporters, as thanks for the great support. We wish you a pleasant experience.