The First Performance of the National Anthem

This was first performed in this elegant neoclassical theatre on December 21, 1834, a simple melody that would become the voice of an entire nation. Bass singer Karel Strakatý stepped onto the stage of the Estates Theatre that winter evening to perform in Fidlovačka, a new comedy by Josef Kajetán Tyl with music by František Škroup. The song was meant as background music, nothing more. Tyl himself doubted its quality and nearly cut it from the show. The character, a blind violinist, sang the opening line: Kde domov můj. Where is my home. The lyrics praised the beauty of Czech lands, the rushing waters, the rustling pines, the blossoming orchards. Something unexpected happened. The audience connected deeply with the words. This was a time when Czechs were seeking to revive their language and identity under Habsburg rule. The song spread beyond these theatre walls. People sang it in homes, at gatherings, in moments of pride and longing. When Czechoslovakia gained independence in 1918, that first verse became part of the national anthem. After the peaceful split in 1993, the Czech Republic kept Kde domov můj as its anthem. The Estates Theatre, built in 1783, stands in the Old Town near Charles University, one of Europe's best preserved historic theatres where this anthem was born.