Otakar Ostrcil

Otakar Ostrčil was born on February 25, 1879, in Prague. He studied piano privately early on and composed his first works by the age of fourteen. He studied modern languages at Charles University from 1897 to 1901, influenced by Jan Gebauer and Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. He simultaneously studied composition and music theory with Zdeněk Fibich. In 1908, he began conducting the Prague Academy Choir and the Orchestral Association. He served as a conductor at Théâtre Vinohrady from 1914 to 1919, and as director of the National Theatre of Prague from 1920 until his death. His notable works include the operas Poupě (1911) and Honzovo království (1934), as well as symphonic pieces like Impromptu (1911). He died on August 20, 1935, in Prague.