Brno wants to renovate the Janáček Theatre for half a billion by 2018

Brno - Brno wants to repair the entire Janáček Theater by the end of 2018 for approximately half a billion crowns. Richard Mrázek (ANO), the mayor's deputy, told ČTK today. Currently, the city is repairing the facade, accumulators, and the traction system for 44 million crowns. Further reconstruction will relate to the energy infrastructure and operational spaces.
The municipality is now beginning to prepare the background documents. "For 2017, we plan to repair the distribution systems, air conditioning, voltage, and similar things. In 2018, we will again intervene in spaces such as offices, dressing rooms, and facilities for the audience," Mrázek informed.
According to estimates, everything will cost around half a billion crowns. The city will strive to obtain funds from subsidies so that it does not have to cover everything from its own budget. It aims to have the work completed by 2018, when the centenary of the establishment of Czechoslovakia will be celebrated. "We are also putting together a plan with theater staff for operations during which the reconstruction would impact the theater's operation as little as possible. However, since we will be intervening in the interiors, it cannot be done without restrictions," added Mrázek.
Brno started the reconstruction of the facade, which is in a critical state, and the theater technologies this summer. "After 50 years of the building's existence, facade panels were falling off, which could endanger visitors and passersby," stated Pavel Žára, spokesperson for the Brno municipality. The accumulators, which are backup sources in case of a power outage, and the traction system for individual props will also be replaced. According to Mrázek, the individual pulleys no longer have such load capacity and can only hold about 50 percent of the weight they are meant to support.
Because the work will extend until the end of September, the Janáček Theater has canceled its September performances. This affects the productions of Tosca, Polish Blood, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Rusalka, and Aida. "Audience members who purchased tickets for these performances can return them or exchange them for a replacement date anytime until the end of September," said the theater's director Milan Glaser. Subscribers who were supposed to see the performance as part of their subscription will be contacted by the theater staff.
The Janáček Theater in Brno is part of the National Theatre Brno. The building was constructed in the 1960s.