Speeches via webcams and a words of thanks spoken from living rooms instead of a gala event at the National Theater. This year's Thalia Awards were very unconventional due to the current coronavirus situation. Nevertheless, more than a dozen artists received their awards. Let's have a look at the winners!
Erika Stárková was the star of the Musical category
Erika Stárková won the award in the category "Musical, Operetta and Other Theatrical Genres" for her role as a girl in the Prague Comedy Theater perfomance Lazarus.
"I want to thank all the people who go to the theater. Because theater can't exist without people,"
Stárková said immediately after the award was announced. In addition to the theater stage, spectators may know her, for example, from the series Most or from the TV show Your Face Sounds Familiar.
Open in gallery (5)
Erika Stárková a Zdeněk GodlaSource: Profimedia
In the men's category, Pavel Režný from the Josef Kajetán Tyl Theater in Pilsen won the award for his performance in the role of Death in the musical Elisabeth.
Joy via webcam
A wide range of awards went to their owners during the evening. Actor Ondřej Nosálek won the award in the category "Puppet Theater" for his portrayal of Zátopek in the Prague Minor Theater performance Zá-to-pek, and Jakub Gottwald received an award in the category "Alternative Theater" for his performance in Ur-fascism. In the "Opera category", the winners were Jana Šrejma Kačírková, who received the award for her performance Three Fragments from Juliette / The Human Voice, and Lukáš Zeman for The Marriage of Figaro. In "Drama", Tereza Groszmannová won an award in the female category, and Petr Štěpán in the male one.
Ondřej Vinklát and Alina Nanu scored in Ballet
Ondřej Vinklát won brought home the award in the category "Ballet, Dance and Movement Theater" for the performance Kafka: Proces, and Alina Nanu got hers for the play Onegin.
Despite the fact that the announcement took place via online broadcast, the nominees could directly participate thanks to webcams. The winners had no idea they would receive an award until the last moment.
Open in gallery (5)
Alina NanuSource: Profimedia
Open in gallery (5)
Ondřej Vinklát na Cenách Thálie v roce 2018Source: Petr Hloušek/Právo/Profimedia
New in awards
Three previously undisclosed awards were also announced - the Czech Theater Academy Award, the Award for Young Artist under the Age of 33 and the Thalia Award for Promotion of Performing Arts on television.
Josef Láska from the East Bohemian Theater in Pardubice won the Award for Young Artist under the Age of 33. Jaroslav Vostrý received an awared from the Czech Theater Academy for his extraordinary contribution to Czech theatrical art. Cameraman Josef Špelda won the award for Promotion of Performing Arts on television.
Previously announced winners: Abrhám, Bauerová, Malík, Voleská and Talpová
Prior to the online event, we had already learned the names of the winners in the "Lifetime Achievement" categories. Hana Bauerová and Josef Abrhám received the award for Drama, Jan Malík for Opera, dancer Aneta Voleská for Ballet and the musical performer Hana Talpová for Musical.
Open in gallery (5)
Josef Abrhám a Libuše ŠafránkováSource: Profimedia
Awards newly for theatrical season
The event was hosted by President of the Actors Guild, Ondřej Kepka. More than thirty stage artists competed for the awards. Another novelty this year was the awarding of prizes for the past theatrical season, rather than for the calendar year.
"It is an annual showcase of what is being created on stage not only in the capital, but also in the regions of the Czech Republic,"
Minister of Culture Lubomír Zaorálek described the importance of the Thalia Awards.
