Opera as zarzuela, which had two separate flowerings: one from the mid-17th century through the mid-18th century, and another beginning around 1850. During the late 18th century up until the mid-19th century, Italian opera was immensely popular in Spain, supplanting the native form. Czech composers also developed a thriving national opera movement of their own in the 19th century, starting with Bedřich Smetana, who wrote eight operas including the internationally popular "The Bartered Bride". Antonín Dvořák, most famous for "Rusalka", wrote 13 operas; and Leoš Janáček gained international recognition in the 20th century for his innovative works including "Jenůfa", "The Cunning
The Bride of Messina (opera) The Bride of Messina (opera) The Bride of Messina (Czech: "Nevěsta messinská") is a tragic opera in three acts, op. 18, by composer Zdeněk Fibich. The Czech language libretto by Otakar Hostinský is based on Friedrich Schiller's play "Die Braut von Messina". Fibich’s most Wagnerian opera, he composed the work between 1882–1883 for the purposes of submitting it in an opera competition sponsored by the National Theatre in Prague. The opera won first prize in the 1883 competition and it premiered at the National Theatre on 28 March 1884. At its first presentation music critics responded with high praise to