Forman arrives in Prague to stage jazz opera in National Theatre

Prague- Czech-born Oscar-winning film director Milos Forman, who lives in the USA, has arrived in Prague to rehearse Czech jazz opera Dobre placena prochazka (A Well Paid Walk) by Jiri Suchy and Jiri Slitr on the stage of Prague's National Theatre, Forman told. Forman, who will turn 75 on February 18, said that it would be his "opera debut" as a director in which he will also cooperate with his elder twin-sons Matej and Petr Forman. Nevertheless, this is not the first time Forman has met with the jazz opera, which had a premiere in the Semafor alternative scene in Prague 1965.

Forman directed its TV version on 1966. Forman said that he had nodded to the project as it was impossible to reject work in the National Theatre, the most prestigious scene in the country. Forman, who was awarded Oscar as the best director for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in 1975 and for Amadeus in 1984, has already planned to work in the National Theatre.

Ten years ago he was to direct opera Dalibor by Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884) in the National Theatre, but the project was scrapped. He wanted to stage his own version of the opera and shorten the original lengths to 100 minutes, but then theatre director Josef Prudek called it an experiment and criticised the plans. Forman therefore gave up the idea in 1998.

In September, soon after being appointed minister, then culture minister Martin Stepanek dismissed National Theatre (ND) director Daniel Dvorak allegedly over serious mistakes in the financial management of the theatre. Stepanek appointed Jan Mrzena ND acting director who was to temporarily head it until a new director is selected. The National Theatre's actors then sent an open letter to Stepanek, calling on him to to sack Mrzena, cancel the present competition for the post of director and declare a new competition.

In reaction to the ongoing disputes, Forman said he would like to invite all members of the past and present management of the National Theatre to the premiere of the jazz opera. "I would like Mr Mrzena, Dvorak, Nekvasil [dismissed National Theatre's opera head], as well as the former culture ministers, Martin Stepanek and Vitezslav Jandak, to sit together there," Forman said, adding that he would not mind inviting current Culture Minister Helena Trestikova as well. On January 31, Forman will also personally open the Czech premiere of his latest film Goya's Ghosts.

Forman told he would invite actors Natalia Portman and Javier Bardem, scriptwriter Jean-Claude Carriere and producer Saul Zaentz to Prague on this occasion, but he cannot confirm they all would come.