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Lecture of the Director of the theatre Laterna magika at the Embassy

(This article expired 30.09.2023.)

Embassy of the Czech Republic in Helsinki together with the Helsinki University organized 23 September 2013 a lecture on “The History and Present Time of the Czech Theatre” for students and absolvents of Czech studies. Mgr. Zdeněk Prokeš, Director of the theatre Laterna magika, was as a guest.

Mgr. Zdeněk Prokeš summarized the history of the Czech theatre art and he reminded of an anniversary of the opening of The Estates Theatre (1783) and The National Theatre (1883). During a very interesting lecture video presentations were shown with pictures of buildings and interiors, the most important personalities and present repertoire of all National Theatre scenes. About twenty students and absolvents of Czech studies at the Helsinki University were excited by the lecture and following live discussion with additional video shows.       

Mgr. Zdeněk PROKEŠ

After dance studies at the Prague Conservatory he graduated as a Master of Choreography at the Music and Dance Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (HAMU) in 1979. As a choreograph he was working in State Theatre in Ostrava and in Karlín Music Theatre. In 1991 he became a choreograph and ballet director in the National Theatre of Brno (since 2002 leading the theatre), 2003-2007 being a director. After 2007 he was in the National Theatre of Prague as an adviser to the director and as a Head of External relations department, since 1.1.2010 he has been an artistic director of Laterna magika. He was also working as an external pedagogue at HAMU (1995-2006) and Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts JAMU (since 1994). He is a co-author of the Czech Dance Dictionary. He has created 150 choreographies both in his homeland and abroad. He is often invited to be a director of competitions, a member of juries, boards of directors, collegiums and committees (The Czech Literary Fund Foundation, Thalia Award, Research and Development Programme Council for Theatres in the Ministry of Culture, Programme Council of the Ministry of Culture, Grant Committee of the Ministry of Culture for dance sector, Board of the Association of Professional Theatres, Council of the Czech ITI Centre, a member of the Board of JAMU etc.). He has been an organizer of many different dance shows and festivals, also international ones (e.g. Dance Brno, Dance Art Competition of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, International Ballet Competition, International Choreography Competition), Chairman of The Dance Association of the Czech Republic (1990-2004 and since 2008). For a long time he has been dealing with copyright protection of choreographs and social problems of dancers.