20 Best Performing Arts in Prague, Czech Republic

Funky, contemporary, and underground, Archa is the main venue for modern theater, dance, and avant-garde music. Some visiting troupes perform in English, and other shows are designated as English-friendly in the program. The centrally located theater opened in 1994, and is often referred to as the Alternative National Theater.

Easily the city's handsomest old movie palace, this art nouveau venue was designed by former President Václav Havel's grandfather and built in 1916. It's a great place to recapture the romance and glamour of film. Grab a drink at the bar, where there is sometimes a live piano player, even if the interior could do with a little more love. Watch out for the upside-down horse sculpture, plus rider, in the passage outside—it's a sly echo of one on the square, which has the Czech Republic's patron saint, St. Wenceslas, the right way up.

It's impossible to visit Prague without knowing that Mozart conducted the world premiere of Don Giovanni on this stage way back in 1787. Fittingly, the interior was used for scenes in Miloš Forman's movie Amadeus. It's stylish and refined without being distracting. This is a branch of the National Theater, and high-quality productions of Mozart are usually in the repertoire together with other classic operas, plays, and the occasional smaller ballet.

Film junkies make the trek to this out-of-the-way gem of a theater knowing it's worth the trip. The tiny cinema is hidden in the middle of a residential block, and keeps an ambitious schedule of two or three different films a day: festivals, retrospectives, oldies but goodies (think Scarface and The Big Lebowski) plus feature films with English subtitles. Czech translations are done through headphones. Visiting guests have included Terry Gilliam, Godfrey Reggio, and Paul Morrisey. The theater also has an outdoor beer garden in the summer months and a lively indoor bar year-round.

Bargain ticket prices, live music before the films, and a schedule that offers greater variety and more "big name" films are just a few reasons to check out this theater outside the city center. New international releases as well as Czech films (sometimes with subtitles) and festival series give Oko a varied lineup. There's a refurbished bar and café here outfitted with Wi-Fi, and it even offers a video streaming service.

Cinema City Nový Smíchov feels like your usual multiplex until you try the "4DX" experience, which involves moving seats and special effects in your seat like fog and lightning. Located in the Nový Smíchov shopping center, the cinema is an experience for all five senses.

This venue has "Oskar-IMAX," a large-format theater that shows many short films in 3-D and the occasional feature on a very large screen. Most IMAX presentations are dubbed; other screens offer the standard multiplex experience.

This is pretty much the only multiplex in the center of town that runs about 10 movies at once, mostly the latest Hollywood films in English (with Czech subtitles). It occasionally runs Czech films with English subtitles.

This major full-size orchestra plays most often at the Rudolfinum. The orchestra has attracted some well-known guest conductors, and performs classical, jazz, and some film scores.

As the name implies, this group started playing live on the radio in 1927. Since the 1960s it hasn't been directly associated with the national radio system, and has fewer concerts than its main rivals. You can usually see them perform at the Rudolfinum. Besides Czech composers, the orchestra excels in Brahms and Mahler. You can buy tickets at the shop in Vinohrady, online, and at some venues.

A former cylinder factory, then a movie theater, this neoclassical building was renovated into a modern dance venue in 2001. The house presents a lot of premieres, and is the main "dance" theater in town. Several dance festivals are based here.

Domestic and international radio performances and film scores have kept this piano quartet in the spotlight. Formed in 1978 and re-formed in 1993, the group majors in music by the Czech composer Martinů, but also has a wide repertoire of other composers. This ensemble is an excellent choice for classical music lovers.

Bonjour! What do we have here? A little bit of Paris in Prague, that's what. Hidden in the basement of the French Institute is a full-size movie theater; most of the programming consists of recent French films as well as classics, also in French. Some of the films have English subtitles, and the admission fee is usually nominal (80 Kč). They also host an annual French Film Festival in November. No food or drinks allowed (but on the ground floor there's an excellent café). "Serious" film watching only.

Named after a famous 18th-century patron of the arts, this ensemble has won a few prestigious awards. They give excellent performances of works by Mozart and Czech composers, and are one of the better groups to appear in various church concerts around town. The group does not have a website but you can track them down through their Facebook page.

Formerly the Sazka Arena (tickets are still sold through Sazka Ticket), this indoor sports venue often hosts big-time rock and pop acts, like Justin Bieber and The Cure. It's also the current home of local ice hockey legends, Sparta Praha. The security level is very high, and almost airportlike. A small nail file or pocket scissors can delay your entrance.

Founded in 1994, this orchestra is youthful and forward-thinking in more ways than one, boasting a chief conductor (Jakub Hrůša) who was born in 1981 as well as a program which aims to send listeners home with, as they put it, a new "joie de vivre." Their work ranges from classic and romantic to contemporary composers and a children's concert series. The group play regularly, including at the Rudolfinum and Prague Castle.

Famous for playing often (but not always) without a conductor, this ensemble covers the classics up through 20th-century composers. Usually they play about four concerts a year in the Rudolfinum.

Two members of the quartet were born in the same town as composer J. V. Stamic, so they chose this name. The group often plays some Britten and Bártok along with the usual classics and Czech composers.

Prague's central art-house cinema has a great location near the Lucerna shopping passage and an excellent selection of offbeat American films, classic European cinema, and the best of new Czech films. Many films are subtitled in English and the theater even has its own brand of beer.

Many quartets borrow names from composers, but few choose the name of a musician: Wihan was a cellist who knew Dvořák. The quartet has won numerous awards since it started in 1985, and has participated in international broadcasts. Most of their sets include at least one Czech composer.