Bedřich Smetana himself into the musical life of the city, primarily as a champion of the new genre of Czech opera. In 1866 his first two operas, "The Brandenburgers in Bohemia" and "The Bartered Bride", were premiered at Prague's new Provisional Theatre, the latter achieving great popularity. In that same year, Smetana became the theatre's principal conductor, but the years of his conductorship were marked by controversy. Factions within the city's musical establishment considered his identification with the progressive ideas of Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner inimical to the development of a distinctively Czech opera style. This opposition interfered with his creative
Bride of the Wind Bride of the Wind Bride of the Wind is a 2001 period drama directed by Academy Award-nominee Bruce Beresford and written by first-time screenwriter Marilyn Levy. Loosely based on the life of Alma Mahler, "Bride of the Wind" recounts Alma's marriage to the composer Gustav Mahler and her romantic liasions. The title of the film alludes to a painting by Oskar Kokoschka named "Die Windsbraut", literally meaning "The Bride of the Wind", though often translated as "The Tempest". The artist dedicated this painting to Alma Mahler. The film met a hostile reception from most critics and did poorly at the