New rotunda in Český Krumlov could have two auditoriums

Český Krumlov - A new rotating theatre in Český Krumlov could be created according to the design by scenographer Joan Brehms, whose birthday will mark 110 years on July 5. It should have two auditoriums, between which there would be a chamber playing space, and compared to the current construction, it would have double the capacity. The costs would exceed 100 million crowns. This was stated by the director of the South Bohemian Theatre, Lukáš Průdek. Last year, the rotating theatre attracted 54,055 spectators.

From the revenues of the rotating auditorium, the theatre earned 31.5 million CZK last year, which is 70 percent of all ticket revenues. This year, revenues from the rotating theatre are expected to be 32 million, with 90 performances scheduled. Next year, the repair of the summer palace Bellarie will complicate the season. The theatre can perform in the rotating theatre in the castle garden until 2020, as agreed with the heritage guards.

The design from 1972, for a theatre with two auditoriums, was prepared by Brehms for Mexico, but the collaboration fell through. The new rotating theatre would have double the capacity, which the theatre would fill, as most titles are sold out in March. The current rotating theatre, weighing 650 tons, dates back to 1994 and accommodates 644 spectators.

"It would be a reference to Brehms' patent of the rotating theatre, which rotates like the current one, but can also turn into itself, rising even higher. And suddenly, the audience sees an arena, with a small orchestra in the middle that plays, thereby, in quotation marks, shutting down the open-air setting, and creating space for chamber acting. After 80 years, it would once again be a very interesting development of the phenomenon of open-air theatre in a rotating auditorium," said Průdek.

České Budějovice is preparing an architectural competition for a new shape of the auditorium. In the second half of July, representatives of the city hall, the theatre, and heritage guards will meet with the Minister of Culture to discuss Brehms' proposal. "It's another option to solve that problem, namely extending the garden by a theatre block, which would extend it by one square, connecting the space to the garden," said Jaromír Talíř (KDU-ČSL), deputy mayor for culture, to ČTK.

The season in front of the auditorium, which first turned on June 9, 1958, will be complicated next year by the repair of the summer palace Bellarie. The costs will reach 30 million and will last until 2020. This year and in 2018, the rococo building will undergo repairs to the facade, staircase, and elevated terraces.

"There will be relatively noisy and demanding construction work: removal of large quantities of stonemasonry elements, excavation, piles of material, dirt. Some procedures need to be done well in advance of the frost, between May and September, which is precisely the period of theatrical productions. We will have to agree on the number of performances and rehearsals. We will demand concessions from the South Bohemian Theatre," said Pavel Slavko, custodian of the Český Krumlov castle, to ČTK.

The theatre director told ČTK that a week ago he received information from the director of the South Bohemian heritage guards that next year's repairs would not affect the theatre's operations. "It will definitely have an impact, as the back area will be cleared, and interiors and facade will be worked on," said Markéta Slabová, spokesperson for the South Bohemian heritage guards, to ČTK.

This year, the South Bohemian Theatre will present two premieres in front of the rotating auditorium, namely the opera Troubadour and the ballet Valmont, while Petr Rychlý will appear in a repeat of another comedy as King Henry VIII. More than half of the visitors come from Prague and Central Bohemia, with international audiences predominating at the opera.