The Bartered Bride which Smetana took to heart: "I swore there and then that no other than I should beget a native Czech music." Smetana did not act immediately on this aspiration. The announcement that a Provisional Theatre was to be opened in Prague, as a home for Czech opera and drama pending the building of a permanent National Theatre, influenced his decision to return permanently to his homeland in 1861. He was then spurred to creative action by the announcement of a prize competition, sponsored by the Czech patriot Jan von Harrach, to provide suitable operas for the Provisional Theatre. By 1863
Otakar Mařák in "The Bartered Bride", "Dalibor", Ladislav Podhajský in "The Two Widows", Lucas in "The Kiss" as well as in traditional world repertory which saw Mařák play Don Ottavio in "Don Giovanni", Massenet's "Werther", Cavaradossi in "Tosca" and Alfred Germont in "La Traviata". He often took on the role of Don José in Bizet's "Carmen". He died on 2 July 1939 in Prague. Together with Emmy Destinn and Karel Burian, Mařák completed the trio of well-known early 20th century Czech singers. "This article is based on a in the Czech Wikipedia" Otakar Mařák Otakar Mařák (5 January 1872 Esztergom, Hungary –