Vlastimil Harapes

Vlastimil Harapes (24 July 1946 – 15 May 2024) was a Czech dancer, choreographer and actor. He served as the artistic director of the Prague Conservatory.

Vlastimil Harapes
Harapes in 2013
Born	(1946-07-24)24 July 1946 Chomutov, Czechoslovakia
Died	15 May 2024(2024-05-15) (aged 77) Prague, Czech Republic
Education	Prague Dance Conservatory
Years active	1964–2024
Political party	Independent
Other political affiliations	ANO 2011
Spouse(s)	Elena Strupková [cs] ​ ​ (divorced)​ Hana Zagorová ​ ​ (m. 1986; div. 1992)​
Partner	Josef Topol (1971–2015)

Life and career

Harapes was born in a hospital in Chomutov on 24 July 1946, and but was native of Droužkovice, where he lived until the age of 14.^[1] His parents led an amateur theatre company, which allowed him to start acting at the age of five.^[2] After graduating from the Prague Dance Conservatory in 1965, he got a job at the National Theatre, where he was a soloist until his death.^[3] He also studied dance in Saint Petersburg, Russia.^[2][3]

His first wife was Elena Strupková [cs].^[4] In 1986, he married singer Hana Zagorová in order to adopt a child, the marriage lasted until 1992.^[4][5] However, Harapes lived with a male poet, Josef Topol, for over 44 years. Their relationship was kept a secret until it was revealed to the public in 2013.^[6][7]

Harapes acted in several films throughout his career, notably in Jak vytrhnout velrybě stoličku [cs] (directed by Marie Poledňákové) and Marketa Lazarová (directed by František Vláčil).^[8] However, most over his performances were overdubbed over by other actors.^[8] With his then wife Zagorová, he performed occasionally as a singer. In 2006, he was a judge in the first season of the show StarDance.

He succumbed to lung cancer^[9] on 15 May 2024, at the age of 77.^[10][11]

Awards

• 1976: Merited Artist of Czechoslovakia
• 1980: Merited Artist of the National Theatre in Prague
• 1989: People's Artist of Czechoslovakia
• 2011: Thalia Award for Lifetime Achievement in Ballet

Selected filmography

• 1964: Starci na chmelu
• 1967: Marketa Lazarová ... Kristián
• 1968: Královský omyl
• 1971: F. L. Věk
• 1976: Day for My Love (voice dubbing František Němec)
• 1977: Jak vytrhnout velrybě stoličku (voice dubbing Jiří Klem [cs])
• 1978: Jak dostat tatínka do polepšovny (voice dubbing Jiří Klem)
• 1978: Beauty and the Beast ... the Beast (voice dubbing Jiří Zahajský [cs])
• 1986: Operace mé dcery
• 2004: Bolero
• 2004: Rodinná pouta
• 2006: Jak se krotí krokodýli
• 2008: Comeback ... cameo appearance

Political activism

In 1977, Harapes signed the Anticharter^[12] In the 2016 Czech Senate election, he ran as an Independent candidate, backed by the ANO 2011 Party, in District No. 25.^[13] He captured 13.30% of the vote, finishing fourth place and did not advance to the second round.^[14]