Of all the Christmas markets you can see in Prague these days, this one may be your favourite. At least if you like beer. The Christmas Beer Markets give you an opportunity to sample international and regional Czech special and Christmas beers brewed just for this holiday season. The event takes place at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel from 20 until 22 December. Along with the great beers, the hotel will offer an array of beer-paired specialties. It’s open daily from 1pm to 5pm and from 6pm to 10pm, and the entry fee for each session is CZK 150.
As far as beer goes, Czechs have a lot to offer. The same relates to opera. A new piece premieres at the National Theatre 18 and 20 December.
Leoš Janáček’s opera, The Markopulos Case (1926), is inspired by Karel Čapek’s play of the same name. The story about the desire for immortality and the fear of it has been created in a co-production with the English National Opera in London led by US director Christopher Alden. 
Again this year, the Moscow City Ballet is coming to Prague with another great ballet performance – Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. If you are a ballet lover, mark your calendar on 18 December at 8pm. The show is at Prague’s Congress Centre.
Another great performance is scheduled for Friday. Czech cembalo band Hradišťan will play at Rudolfinum together with the children’s folk music ensemble Notičky. If you want to enjoy Czech folk music performed by enthusiastic musicians, some of whom are only three years old, don’t miss your chance to get one of the last tickets.
You can also start your weekend at Roxy/NoD watching the Room of Miracles, a combined project of Krepsko, Petr Nikl and Theaterlabor. The theatre performance will bring you closer to 16th-17th century German painter Hans Rottenhammer and his colourful and humorous paintings. The show takes place on Friday and Saturday.
Speaking of paintings and exhibitions, you may want to check out the exhibition dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci, one of the most diversely talented persons ever. Even though these are just reproductions, 50 of da Vinci’s most famous inventions and 23 of his paintings are worth seeing. The show runs through 15 February at Palác Rapid at Můstek.
Besides Christmas related concerts, you can enjoy a bit of reggae, ska, jazz or French chanson. One of the best contemporary reggae musicians, including the Jamaican “Stevie Wonder” Frankie Paul, Everton Blender, Turbulance or Sojah will play at Lucerna Music Bar tonight. The New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble will be in Lucerna Sunday and Roma hip hop band Gipsy.cz will take the stage Tuesday. Czech vocalist Dan Bárta will play with his project Illustratosphere at Lucerna on Wednesday. Françoiz Breut, French singer who combines her homeland’s chanson tradition with contemporary rock, will play at Palác Akropolis Thursday presenting her fourth studio album A L’Àveuglette.
Pass the Popcorn
There are only two film premiers scheduled for this week and none of them is great. Perhaps if you have kids you may want to see Open Season 2, a US animated film about the adventure of domestic animals Boog and Elliot.
