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
Julius Fučík (composer) Julius Fučík (composer) Julius Fučík (; 18 July 1872 – 25 September 1916) was a Czech composer and conductor of military bands. He became a prolific composer, with over 400 marches, polkas, and waltzes to his name. As most of his work was for military bands, he is sometimes known as the "Bohemian Sousa". Today his marches are still played as patriotic music in the Czech Republic. His worldwide reputation rests primarily on two works: "The Florentiner March", popular throughout much of Europe, and the "Entrance of the Gladiators" ("Vjezd gladiátorů"), which is widely recognized, often under the title "Thunder