Mozart Dinner Concert in the Boccaccio Ballroom Prague

The Boccaccio Ballroom

The Boccaccio Ballroom at Králodvorská 4 is a historically protected neo-baroque hall tucked inside a building in the heart of the Old Town. Its walls are finished in artificial marble, a polished plaster technique that imitates real stone, and decorated with gilded ornament and crystal chandeliers. In the first half of the 20th century it was one of Prague's celebrated venues for balls, parties and dinner shows, a tradition that ended with the start of the Communist era.

Restored to its period splendour, the hall now hosts this intimate dinner concert. An event manager allocates seats on arrival according to the table category you booked: the default option places you at a shared table for eight in the main hall, while private tables for two and balcony boxes for up to four are available in the booking panel. Smart casual dress suits the setting, and the hall has a wheelchair-accessible entrance.

The concert programme in three segments

The ensemble brings together two opera singers from Czech opera houses and instrumentalists from leading Prague orchestras, all dressed in 18th-century costume. The one-hour programme is divided into three segments of about 20 minutes, each built around famous arias and duets, with movements of light chamber music in between, including the much-loved serenade known as A Little Night Music. The scale of the hall keeps the music close, so every voice and violin line carries clearly.

The first segment is devoted to the opera that had its world premiere in Prague in 1787, the second gathers favourite arias from the composer's comic operas, and the third closes with music from his final fairy-tale opera. The courses of the dinner arrive between the segments, so the evening flows like a private salon concert of the period. Among classical concerts in Prague, this is one of the most atmospheric choices for couples and music lovers.

The three-course Czech and Austrian dinner

The menu draws on Czech and Austrian cooking, a reminder that Prague and Vienna shared a table as well as a musical culture for centuries. Dinner begins after the first musical segment with a cream of sweet pea soup, served with chive yogurt and crunchy croutons. The portions are designed to fit around the music, so the evening never feels rushed and there is time to talk between the courses.

With the default option the main course is grilled chicken breast with chickpea porridge, grilled vegetables and thyme sauce, and dessert is a house-made apple pie with vanilla sauce, served before the final segment. Other options offer a beef main or a vegetarian curry, and a children's menu is available for younger guests. A welcome drink is included on arrival, while further drinks can be ordered and paid for at your table.

Around the hall: the Powder Tower and the Royal Way

Králodvorská takes its name from the Royal Court, the residence of Bohemian kings in the 14th and 15th centuries before they returned to the castle. Its neighbour is the Powder Tower, a Gothic gate begun in 1475 that marks the start of the Royal Way to Prague Castle, and beside it stands the Municipal House, the city's finest Art Nouveau building, with a glittering mosaic over its entrance.

How to get to the Boccaccio Ballroom is easy: Náměstí Republiky metro station on line B is just around the corner, and the Old Town Square is about seven minutes on foot along Celetná Street, one of Prague's oldest streets. On the way you can also see the Estates Theatre, the elegant 18th-century opera house where that 1787 premiere took place. Plan to arrive by 18:30, when the doors open.