Jan Křtitel Kuchař

Jan Křtitel Kuchař (; 5 March 1751 – 18 February 1829) was a Czech organist, mandolinist, harpsichordist, music composer, operatic conductor and teacher. Life and career Kuchař was born on 5 March 1751 in Choteč, Bohemia, Holy Roman Empire. Soon after his birth, Kuchař’s parents moved to Mlázovice, where he lived out his childhood. He achieved basic music knowledge in Vrchlabí with the organist Alex Thám. Later he studied at the Jesuits seminary in Hradec Králové and Jičín. He was a student of the organist Josef Seger in Prague. He wrote piano excerpts from both operas, as well as from the opera Così fan tutte. In addition, he composed recitatives for an Italian version of The Magic Flute. In 1790, Kuchař left the church after being nominated as organist of the Strahov Monastery, in the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, on 1 September. He accepted the offer and played organ at the Strahov Monastery. He continued to teach mandolin, organ and the theory of music. He also began to perform stand-alone concerts and his reputation soon spread, for in 1791 he was appointed conductor of the opera, Prague, and he officiated there for many years, during which time several of his o