Adolf Krössing In September of that same year he played Wenzel in the premiere of the final version of Bedřich Smetana's opera "The Bartered Bride", a role which he would repeat often throughout his career. His portrayal in this production impressed Smetana, and Krössing was soon invited to join his group of artists that would later be established at the Prague National Theatre. Krössing performed with Smetana's group of artists at the Nové České Divadlo (New Czech Theatre) up until 1881 when the National Theatre opened. He continued to appear at that house in operas, operettas, plays, and even the occasional ballet
The Bartered Bride in a rousing drinking song ("To beer!"), while Jeník and Kecal argue the merits, respectively, of love and money over beer. The women enter, and the whole group joins in dancing a furiant. Away from the jollity the nervous Vašek muses over his forthcoming marriage in a stuttering song ("My-my-my mother said to me"). Mařenka appears, and guesses immediately who he is, but does not reveal her own identity. Pretending to be someone else, she paints a picture of "Mařenka" as a treacherous deceiver. Vašek is easily fooled, and when Mařenka, in her false guise, pretends to woo him ("I