This mysterious statue stands in front of the National Theatre of Prague. It looks like a cloak without a body, but what does it mean, and what is its connection to the Theatre and its history?
The statue is called Il Commendatore, or the Cloak of Conscience, and it was created by Czech-German artist Anna Chromy. It was installed in 2000, after her exhibition Sounds of Bronze dedicated to Mozart’s operas. The statue is a tribute to the composer and his masterpiece Don Giovanni, which had its world premiere at the Theatre in 1787.
The statue represents the ghost of the Commendatore, whom Don Giovanni killed in a duel and who later came back to haunt him. In the opera, the Commendatore’s statue comes to life and invites Don Giovanni to dinner, where he drags him to hell for his sins.
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