Laterna Magika: Blending Projected Images and Live Stage

The integration of stage performance and film found a groundbreaking expression through the work of stage director Alfréd Radok and scenographer Josef Svoboda. Developed for Czechoslovakia’s pavilion at Expo 58 in Brussels, Laterna Magika brought live performance, film projection, music, dance, and stage technology into a single theatrical language, placing the relationship between the physical stage and the projected image at the core of the performance.

The concept was shaped by the idea that a filmed image could interact with a live performer as if they shared the same reality. In the original program, filmed figures appeared to converse with live actors, with projected sequences carefully synchronized with acting, music, and dance. The screen became an active component of the narrative, giving audiences another layer to follow alongside the physical performers.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Following the exhibition, the project continued to evolve, becoming an independent company of Prague’s National Theatre in May 1959. Over the decades, the company expanded its repertoire, producing enduring works such as Wonderful Circus, which premiered in 1977. Svoboda later served as artistic director starting in 1973 and championed the creation of Prague’s New Stage, which opened in 1983 to provide a permanent architectural home for the company.

Source: designboom