Václav Kašlík

Who was Václav Kašlík?

Václav Kašlík was a Czech composer, opera director and conductor, known for his operas, both on the stage and on television.

Kašlík was born in Poličná in Moravia, Austria–Hungary. He studied musicology at Prague University, and composition, conducting, and opera production at the Prague Conservatory. In 1940 he began working for Brno radio as a conductor, and made his debut as a director at the Prague National Theatre with Boleslav Vomáčka’s The Watersprite. In 1945 he and Alois Hába founded on the grounds of the former Neues Deutsches Theater the Grand Opera of the Fifth of May.

In 1953 he returned to the Prague National Theatre, establishing international reputation as a director. His use of television, film, and projections brought him wide acclaim, particularly due to the collaboration with Josef Svoboda.

His compositions are colored by the folk music of Moravia and Moravian Wallachia, as well as jazz and pop music.