D34

Czechoslovak theater

Also known as: Army Theatre of Art

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June 25, 2026

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The term "D34" refers to a specific theater founded in Prague in 1933 by Emil František Burian. This theater, and its successors which were renamed annually (e.g., D34, D46, D51), were known for their innovative, multimedia productions that combined various art forms like dance, film, and music. Burian's work established traditions in Czech theater practice, influencing later artists such as Josef Svoboda. The broader Czech theater tradition includes the Prague National Theatre, completed in 1881, and the "liberated theater" movement of the 1930s, which featured political satire by actors like Jiřís Voskovec and Jan Werich. Playwrights such as Václav Havel have also gained international recognition for their works.123

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Emil František Burian
…to open his own theatre, D34. That theatre (the name would change annually to reflect the current year) made Burian internationally famous. D34 and its successors saw Burian mount productions by contemporary Czechs and other Europeans, as well as reworkings of many older classics. The productions combined dance, film, song,…
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…to open his own theatre, D34. That theatre (the name would change annually to reflect the current year) made Burian internationally famous. D34 and its successors saw Burian mount productions by contemporary Czechs and other Europeans, as well as reworkings of many older classics. The productions combined dance, film, song,…
Read More