Bedřich Smetana was born on March 2, 1824, in Litomyšl, Bohemia, then part of the Austrian Empire, and is widely recognized as the father of Czech national music. He demonstrated musical talent early, performing publicly at age six. Smetana initially studied music under his father, an amateur violinist, and later under Josef Proksch in Prague. His career began in earnest with his participation in the 1848 Prague uprising, after which he attempted to establish himself in Prague but eventually moved to Gothenburg, Sweden, where he worked as a teacher and choirmaster.

In the early 1860s, Smetana returned to Prague, invigorated by a more liberal political climate. He became a central figure in the city's musical life, focusing on Czech opera. His operas "The Brandenburgers in Bohemia" and "The Bartered Bride" premiered in 1866, with the latter achieving significant popularity. Despite becoming the principal conductor at Prague's Provisional Theatre, Smetana faced opposition due to his progressive musical ideas, influenced by Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner, which some felt were at odds with a distinctively Czech style.

Smetana's health began to decline in 1874, leading to complete deafness by the end of that year. Freed from his theatre duties, he entered a prolific period of composition, creating works such as the symphonic cycle "Má vlast" ("My Fatherland"), which includes the famous "Vltava" ("The Moldau"). Despite his contributions being increasingly recognized, Smetana suffered a mental collapse in early 1884, leading to his death in an asylum on May 12, 1884.

His legacy as a pioneer of Czech national music endures, although internationally, Antonín Dvořák is often regarded as a more significant Czech composer. Smetana's works, particularly "The Bartered Bride" and "Má vlast," continue to be celebrated and performed worldwide.