Mnichovo Hradiště The original painted drapery curtain has the traditional theatre motif of a lyre in a wreath of sunrays. Photo: Archives of the State-Owned Mnichovo Hradiště Chateau The scenery components could be used to assemble all of the required typical scenes. Shown are the wing flats for a ballroom, a town, and a forest. On the right is a supplemental wing flat depicting a hovel. Photo: Archives of the State-Owned Mnichovo Hradiště Chateau The scenery depicting a town is one of more than ten preserved complete sets of stage decorations. Four pairs of flats are located as wings along the sides of the stage. The main part of the scenery, the backdrop, hangs in the rear. Photo: Archives of the State-Owned Mnichovo Hradiště Chateau View from the stage into the auditorium. On the ground floor level there are two sections of benches separated from the orchestra pit by a wooden partition. A simple balcony is located above them along the back wall. The theatre was built in a former two-story ballroom in the chateau. View of the wing flats along one side. MNICHOVO HRADIŠTĚ STAVOVSKÉ DIVADLO Kačina Litomyšl Český Krumlov Weitra (Vitoraz) Grein Theatre an der Wien Graz – SchauspielHAUS Graz – OPERA History Argand lamps, standard at the time but no longer used today, were located on the front lighting bridge and in other locations throughout the theatre. A complete set of these lamps was recently found in the chateau’s depository. Today, modern lighting is used. In the theatre foyer, visitors have the opportunity to see and try out a replica of a typical theatre sound effect of the 18th and 19th centuries – the whistling of the wind is replicated using a cloth-draped drum rotated by a manual crank. The curtain continues to be wound on a roller mounted on the back side of the stage arch. Similar rollers mounted in the fly loft above the rear area of the stage were used for lowering the backdrops. The light from the lighting ramp was dimmed using a tin shade that was moved using a crank and a small winch installed in a small slit in the stage floor. Photo: Archives of the State-Owned Mnichovo Hradiště Chateau The wing flats are installed on the stage using pairs of simple wooden tracks located on the floor and under the ceiling. Three different wing sets could be alternated by manually sliding them along the rails. Technology A number of smaller clothing accessories and several pairs of shoes are on display together with the costumes. For the occasional performances held in the theatre today, new costumes are used; however, they are often made according to historical designs. Photo: Archives of the State-Owned Mnichovo Hradiště Chateau Performances using the historical stage decorations and captivating lighting provide a good impression of the beauty of the original theatre performances. Photo: Archives of the State-Owned Mnichovo Hradiště Chateau The exhibition also includes contemporary replicas of women’s dresses and many original theatre props. The former theatre dressing room now houses a selection of the extensive theatre costume collection, the majority of which dates back to the 18th century and the days of the first theatre. Photo: David Bruner Costumes