Bohuslav Martinů: The Theatre Behind the Gate

The Opera Studio and Orchestra of the Brno Conservatory, in collaboration with the Janáček Brno 2026 Festival, present a production of Bohuslav Martinů’s The Theatre Behind the Gate. This “lyric opera,” enriched with pantomime and dance, was created as a distinctive homage to folk roots while also serving as an open dialogue with the modern movements of the 20th century, including jazz.

Come and see what the young generation will reveal in a work that unites playfulness, rhythm, and intimate lyricism. We will show you that Martinů’s music is still alive and full of light. With this production, we wish to invite both professional and general audiences to encounter music that transcends the boundaries of genre and time, opening the gates of imagination to everyone who steps inside.

And what exactly is The Theatre Behind the Gate? In Bohuslav Martinů’s own words, it is “nothing other than a stage in a marketplace, a fairground beyond the city walls—in fact, a traveling theatre.” Theatre here and now, drawing energy from the street—perhaps pulsating even faster today than in the composer’s time—yet still a free space: playful, unrestrained, open to improvisation and interaction.

Text: Hana Mikolášková