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Bedřich Smetana was a pioneering Czech composer, conductor, and pianist regarded as the founder of Czech national music.Born in Bohemia, Smetana championed musical nationalism through iconic works like the opera 'The Bartered Bride' and symphonic cycle 'Má vlast'. He co-founded Prague's Provisional Theatre, directed the Czech Philharmonic, and endured progressive hearing loss before dying in a mental asylum.

• Smetana became completely deaf in 1874 at age 50, yet composed his masterpiece 'Má vlast' (including 'Vltava') during this period.
• He suffered immense personal tragedy: four daughters died in infancy, and his first wife Kateřina died of tuberculosis at 26. His second marriage later ended bitterly.
• In his final years, Smetana experienced hallucinations, depression, and cognitive decline. Contemporary sources attribute his death to neurosyphilis, though modern scholars debate this diagnosis.
• His nationalist opera 'Libuše' premiered at the 1881 opening of Prague's National Theatre, cementing his status as a Czech cultural hero.