Theater faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague

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DAMU

The theater faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague , Czech: Divadelní fakulta Akademie múzických umění v Praze , or DAMU for short , is the theater faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague in the Czech Republic .

history

The faculty began at the end of the Second World War, when some important personalities on the Czech stage such as the actor Jiří Plachý , the director Jiří Frejka , the set designer František Tröster and the head of the Prague Conservatory Miroslav Haller demanded a qualified education for actors.

Their efforts were rewarded when President Edvard Beneš issued a decree establishing the Academy of Performing Arts.

Haller founded the school theater DISK together with František Tröster and students of the director Jaromír Pleskota . However, Haller was relieved of his duties shortly afterwards because of his political views. After the February Revolution of 1948, Frejka and Plachý, who both committed suicide in 1952, were also suspended. Only Tröster remained in a leading position and founded the chair for set designer. In the first two years, the acting area was conceived only as an advanced course for graduates of the state conservatory. After its dissolution in September 1949, DAMU became the only drama school in Prague for a time. She was exposed to political and ideological pressure.

The fact that the school did not completely succumb to communist dogma was due to some educators who were also famous actors. For many years it was Miloš Nedbal and Vlasta Fabianová , as well as Vítězslav Vejražka, but also the directors Leo Spáčil and Karel Palouš . Some actors were banned from teaching after a short period, such as Otomar Krejči , Vlasta Burian , František Vnouček or Radovan Lukavský .

The Institute for Theater Studies was also hindered in its teaching activities by ideological pressure. In 1960 this branch was spun off again and added to Charles University . Only the dramaturgy was retained and was taught by František Götz in collaboration with Karel Hugo Hilar . Their work was continued by their students Jaroslav Vostrý and Jan Císař . Together with the director František Štěpánek , they then expanded the department of direction and dramaturgy .

In the 1980s, new lecturers adopted modern styles and methods of imparting knowledge. These included Jana Hlaváčová , Věra Galatíková , Boris Rösner , Eva Salzmannová , Svatopluk Skopal and, for a short time, Jiří Adamíra and Petr Čepek . Daria Ullrichová , Jana Kudláčková , Jaroslava Šiktancová , Jan Burian , Miloš Horanský and Jakub Korčák taught dramaturgy and direction . Tröster's students Albert Pražák and Jan Dušek as well as Jana Zbořilová trained stage designers.

In addition to pure theater, puppet theater was also taught at DAMU from the start . Here, too, capacities such as Josef Skupa , Jan Malík , Erik Kolár , and later Jan Dvořák could be gained for the lessons. Changes in this faculty occurred after the Velvet Revolution in 1990. New goals were set. In addition to traditional puppet theater, new trends and experimental theater were taught. Director Josef Krofta was at the forefront of these new developments , supported by the actress and director Markéta Schartová , the dramaturge Miloslav Klíma , the set designers were supervised by Petr Matásek and Pavel Kalfus . With them, Jan Schmid , Miroslav Krobot and Jan Borna began their educational careers .

New aspects were also taught in acting under the direction of Ivan Vyskočil . There were also new departments such as production with specialist teachers Jiří Srstka , Jindřich Gregorini , Jan Dvořák and others under the direction of Barbara Tůmová .

Various forms of dramaturgy were introduced under the direction of Eva Machková and Josef Valenta and now Jaroslav Provazník . The transfer of knowledge in the field of theory and theater history under the direction of Jaroslav Vostrý is also becoming increasingly important .

Chairs

  • play
  • Alternative and puppet theater
  • Set designer
  • production
  • dramaturgy
  • Book and pedagogy
  • Theater criticism and theater theory
  • Voice training
  • Training movement

Famous Graduates

Web links