Rudolfinum

The Rudolfinum is a music auditorium and one of the most important neo-renaissance buildings in Prague. It is situated at Jan Palach Square on the bank of the river Vltava. During many decades it is the home-stage of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and one of the main venues for the Prague Spring International Music Festival held each year from May-June.The building was designed by architects Josef Zítek and his student Josef Schulz, and was opened February 8, 1885. It is named in the honour of Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, who presided over the opening.

The [http://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soubor:Praha_Rudolfinum_Interior_2003.jpgDvorak Hall] in the Rudolfinum, one of the oldest concert halls in Europe, is famous for its acoustics. On 4 January 1896 the Czech Philharmonic’s very first concert took place here (conducted by Antonín Dvořák).

The building also contains the Galerie Rudolfinum, an important Art Gallery that focuses mainly on contemporary art. Major exhibitions that took place include: František Drtikol - "Photographer, Painter, Mystic", (1998), Cindy Sherman: "Retrospective", (1998), Jürgen Klauke: "Side Effect", (1998), "Czech Photography 1840-1950", (2004), Annelies Štrba, (2005), Neo Rauch: "Neue Rollen", (2007), "Uncertain States of America", (2007-2008), Gottfried Helnwein: "Angels Sleeping", (2008).

ee also

* List of concert halls
* Art museum

External links

* [http://www.ceskafilharmonie.cz/en/content_9.php Czech Philharmonic]
* [http://www2.rudolfinum.org/index.php?site=rudolfinum/rudolfinum-historiebudovy&lang=en Rudolfinum Gallery]
* [http://www.bachtrack.com/find-a-concert/Where/venue=187-Rudolfinum--Dvorak-Hall Concerts in Rudolfinum]