Bedřich Smetana was a Czech composer born in 1824, widely celebrated as the father of Czech music. He played a key role in developing a national musical identity during a period of cultural revival in Bohemia. Smetana is best known internationally for his opera The Bartered Bride and the symphonic cycle Má vlast, especially the popular piece Vltava, also known as The Moldau. His early career included teaching and composing in Sweden after struggles in Prague, but he returned home in the 1860s to become a leading figure in Czech opera. Despite facing opposition and later becoming deaf, Smetana continued to compose many of his most important works. He died in 1884, and his music remains central to Czech national identity, though his international reputation is often overshadowed by his contemporary, Antonín Dvořák.