Provisional Theatre (Prague) Provisional Theatre (Prague) The Prague Provisional Theatre (, ) was erected in 1862 as a temporary home for Czech drama and opera until a permanent National Theatre could be built. It opened on 18 November 1862 and functioned for 20 years, during which time over 5,000 performances were presented. Between 1866 and 1876 the theatre staged the premieres of four of Bedřich Smetana's operas, including "The Bartered Bride". The Provisional Theatre building was eventually incorporated into the structure of the National Theatre, which opened its doors on 11 June 1881. Before the early 1860s almost all cultural institutions in Prague,
The Bride of the Wind The Bride of the Wind The Bride of the Wind (Die Windsbraut) (or The Tempest) is a 1913–1914 painting by Oskar Kokoschka. The oil on canvas work is housed in the Kunstmuseum Basel. Kokoschka's best known work, it is an allegorical picture featuring a self-portrait by the artist, lying alongside his lover Alma Mahler. In 1912, Kokoschka met first met Mahler, the recently widowed wife of composer Gustav Mahler. A passionate romance ensued, with the artist producing numerous drawings and paintings of Alma Mahler. The painting depicts Mahler in a peaceful sleep beside Kokoschka, who is awake and stares into