Škroup, František Jan (1801–1862)

Bohemian composer. A song he wrote for the play Shoemakers' Fair (1834) later became the Czech national anthem. He also composed the first Czech opera and compiled a six-volume anthology of Czech patriotic songs 1834–44.

He studied law, but was from 1827 second and in 1837–57 first conductor at the National Theatre in Prague. From 1860 he conducted at the Opera of Rotterdam.

Works Opera and stage the operas Drátenik (The Tinker, 1826), The Marriage of Libuša (1835), Oldřich and Božena (1828), Drahomira (1848) and some other Czech and German operas; incidental music to Tyl's Fidlovačka.

Chamber three string quartets and other chamber music; songs.