Less than a year after the Shakespeare Festival, Smetana found himself struggling with depression and self-doubt. The Interim Theater remained firmly under Maýr's control, and the jury was still deliberating on The Brandenburgers. Maýr showed no inclination to stage the work, and Smetana's chances of securing a position at the theater were slim. Amid these difficulties, an unexpected opportunity arose when the unruly Kittl resigned as the director of the Prague Conservatory due to issues with drunkenness. Encouraged by friends, Smetana decided to apply for the vacant position.On April 20, 1865, he wrote to his friend Isaac Philip Valentin in Göteborg to explain the situation:

If all remains as it is, there will be little incentive to write—especially when longheld hopes have been dashed or remain in a state of uncertainty, if not relegated to some distant future: In such circumstances, the desire to report news fades. And I am now feeling precisely that. Attacked from many directions and misunderstood by many—whether intentionally or not—I see that all my artistic endeavors must be postponed until these gloomy times have passed. But as of today, it is all about “Patience and Waiting” for me!

At the national level, the position of conductor in the Czech Theater is probably the most significant. It offers a direct connection to the public and can have the greatest influence on refining artistic taste as well as the direction of art itself, standing at the forefront. Therefore, it's understandable that this position would appeal to me the most. However, with Dr. Rieger still serving as intendant, my prospects are slim, as the present conductor seems to him to be the model of all conductors, despite his often-proven incompetence. There does seem to be a faint hope. … The vacancy for the directorship of the Conservatory, left open since Kittl's departure. My friends insist that the position suits me perfectly, offering not only first-rate prestige but also a satisfactory salary.