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lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"><FONT face=Arial
color=#008000 size=2>Dear Colleagues:</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
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color=#008000 size=2></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"><FONT face=Arial
color=#008000 size=2>As you know, </FONT><STRONG> </STRONG><FONT
face=Arial color=#008000 size=2>Svoboda died on April
8th.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT face=Arial
color=#008000 size=2><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT face=Arial
color=#008000 size=2><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B> </P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Laterna magika and the National Theatre Prague<?xml:namespace prefix = o
ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=5> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>announce with deepest sorrow<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>that on Monday April 8, 2002,<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>after a highly productive life, passed
away<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=5> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B><SPAN
lang=CS
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: CS; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Professor Architect Josef Svoboda<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B><SPAN
lang=CS
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: CS; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Josef Svoboda was born May 10, 1920 in the town Čáslav.
After completing his secondary studies, he apprenticed as a cabinet-maker.
Following a master´s course, he enrolled in the Central School of Housing
Industry <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=CS><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=5>in Prague. However, he was drawn to the theatre,
where while in his home town and later in Prague he acquired his first practical
experiences. Shortly after World War II he enrolled in scenography courses at
the Prague Conservatory and<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>studied
architecture at the Academy of Applied Arts in Prague.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=5> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman">One of the predominant characteristics of Josef Svoboda
was his consistent confrontation of theory and practice; in 1945, during his
studies he participated in the founding of the Grand Opera of the May 5 Theatre.
He became the theatre´s chief stage designer, as well as collaborating with the
Theatre of Satire and the Studio of the National Theatre. In 1948, he joined the
staff of the National Theatre, initially as stage designer and, as of 1951, as
the head of its artistic and technical operations. Until 1992, he remained loyal
to the National Theatre, when he left – and became the managing director of the
independent Lantern Magic Theatre, where he had also served as artistic director
since 1973.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT
size=5><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN lang=CS
style="mso-ansi-language: CS">In the May 5 Theatre he met his two principal
directors </SPAN>– Alfr<SPAN lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS">éd Radok and
Václav Kašlík. His collaboration with Radok refined his sense of the director´s
concept of scenography and of the functional incorporation of the stage design
into the context of the other components of a theatre production. Their
common<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>desire for discovery led
them to a series of experimentations, the result of which was the founding of
Lantern Magic, the creation of the <I>polyekran </I>(multiple screens), and
other audiovisual forms. Svoboda´s cooperation with<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>opera director Václav Kašlík inspired
his love for music, which helped to introduce a number of excellent operatic
works to theatres both at home and abroad. During the nineteen-sixties,<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>he met other outstanding directors,
among them Otomar Krejča and Miroslav Macháček,<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>resulting in yet other outstanding works
staged at the National Theatre in Prague, and, in Krejča´s case, at the Divadlo
za branou in Prague,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>as well as
numerous theatres around Europe. In the nineteen-eighties, Svoboda´s
collaboration with stage director Evald Schorm in Lantern Magic signalled a
major change in the orientation of this unique
theatre.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Josef Svoboda created stage designs for more than 700
theatre performances in his own country and abroad. During the second half
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman">of the 20th century, hardly any prominent director could
be found worldwide with whom Svoboda would not have collaborated. These
particular artists include A. Delcampe, J. Dexter, C.H. Drese, A. Everding, G.
Friedrich, <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman">G. Strehler, L. Olivier, R. Petit, J.-C. Riber, and
others. He was at all times<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>appreciated more abroad than in his home country, obtaining awards and
titles, such as Dr.h.c. at the Royal College of Arts in London (1969),
International Theatre Award in New York (1976), Chevalier de l´Ordre des Arts et
des Lettres in Paris (1976), Doctor of Fine Arts at Denison University and
Western Michigan University in the U.S.A. (1978-84), a prize of the U.S.
Institute for Theater Technology in the U.S.A. (1986), the title The Royal
Industry Designer in London (1989), the French Légion d´Honneur in 1993, and
Dr.h.c. at the Université Catholique de Louvaine-la-Neuve in
2001.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Svoboda enjoyed the young generation; he gave his
experiences at the Academy of Applied Arts in Prague, where he brought up a
strong generation of Czech scenographers, and also at institutes and
universities throughout the world. Only one dream he failed to fulfil - that of
designing and building a theatre in Prague, one that could materialise his ample
theatre experiences and demands.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=5> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>May his memory remain alive!<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=5> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The casket and condolence books will be displayed in the
foyer of the National Theatre in Prague on Monday April 15, from 1 pm to 2 pm.
The final farewell to Professor Architect Josef Svoboda will take place at the
theatre´s foyer at 2.30 pm.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
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lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=5> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
lang=CS style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=5> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
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style="mso-ansi-language: CS"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=5> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>******************************************************<BR>'If we rule the
world together then we can succeed in peace and let each other be different and
have different opinions and different cultures. If there was no diversity then
life would be boring. Imagine me looking exactly like you or acting the same
way! LIFE NEEDS difference and until we realise it then we will not achieve our
hope of world peace!"-Natasha Salter, written on the occasion of her 11th
birthday (20 November 01).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>***************************************<BR>Denis
Salter<BR>Professor of Theatre<BR>McGill University<BR>853 Sherbrooke St
West<BR>Montréal <BR>H3A 2T6</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>T: (514) 398 6573<BR>F: (514) 398 8146<BR>E: <<A
href="mailto:d.salter@videotron.ca">d.salter@videotron.ca</A>><BR>
<<A
href="mailto:denis.salter@mcgill.ca">denis.salter@mcgill.ca</A>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Home Office<BR>4965, avenue Connaught<BR>Notre Dame
De Grace<BR>Montréal<BR>H4V 1X4</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>T: (514) 487 2568<BR>F via Email: (309) 294
0444<BR>E: <<A
href="mailto:d.salter@videotron.ca">d.salter@videotron.ca</A>><BR>
<<A
href="mailto:denis.salter@mcgill.ca">denis.salter@mcgill.ca</A>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://www.arts.mcgill.ca/programs/english/english.html">http://www.arts.mcgill.ca/programs/english/english.html</A></FONT></DIV>
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