Karel Jaromír Erben (1811-1870) was a Czech poet, folklorist, historian and archivist, and a central figure of Czech literary Romanticism. He is best known for his ballad collection Kytice z pověstí národních (A Bouquet of Folk Legends, 1853), which distilled Czech folk legends and tales into morally charged, darkly atmospheric verse. Alongside his poetry he compiled thousands of folk songs and fairy tales, and as Prague's city archivist he edited historical sources on Bohemia. His work inspired composers Antonín Dvořák and Zdeněk Fibich, as well as generations of theatre and film makers.
The East Bohemian Theatre Pardubice presented in June 2026 a new open-air adaptation of Kytice at Kunětická hora castle as a musical-visual show.
The Ostrava Puppet Theatre presented in March 2026 a new puppet production of Kytice - the first on this stage in more than thirty years.
The National Theatre Prague is preparing for August 31, 2026 a special benefit repeat of Kytice in support of the Paraple Centre.
In 2025, a new audio adaptation of all 13 ballads of Kytice was created for the audio portal mujRozhlas, directed by Anna Vošalíková.
The production of Kytice directed by the duo SKUTR has been running continuously at the National Theatre Prague since its premiere in February 2019 and enjoys extraordinary audience acclaim.
