Symphony No. 25 “The Angel Was Sent to You” by the recently deceased composer František Gregor Emmert (1940-2015) received its premiere on June 1 at the St. Augustine Church in Brno. It was performed by Ensemble Opera Diversa conducted by Ondrej Olos together with Jarmila Balážová (mezzosoprano), Milan Paľa (viola) and Marek Paľa (organ). Emmert … Read more
Petr Wajsar (*1978) is a highly popular author at the Prague Spring festival. This year only, the festival gave world premiere to two of his compositions – besides Harpsycho, the compulsory piece for the 2nd round of the cembalo competition, it was The Rest Is Song, performed on June 1 at The Trade Fair Palace by … Read more
This year’s topic of The Beauty of Today, the contemporary music concert cycle organized by PKF – Prague Philharmonia, was Dualism in the Czech 21st Century, or, the relationship between a living, active composer and his (former) teacher or mentor. On the last of this season’s concerts, which was held on May 30 at the Experimental Space NoD, … Read more
As already a couple of times in the past, this year of the Prague Spring festival, too, decided to hold one of its concerts at the National Technical Museum. In collaboration with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague, it presented a programme consisting of four pieces by contemporary composers, all of … Read more
As a teaser for the upcoming Ostrava Days festival, Ostrava witnessed a recital by the German cellist and Ostravská banda member Matthias Lorenz. It was hosted by the PLATO Ostrava art organization which, at the moment, has its residence in the former Bauhaus hobby market; and it was here, on May 15, that Lorenz performed Nomos Alpha … Read more
On 2nd May, the BERG Orchestra put on a concert at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius Church in Karlín, Prague. It included a world premiere of Lorelei by composer Robert Hejnar (*1969), a piece which – by its balladic subject – formed an interesting contrast of thought to the spiritual Sequentia by Arvo Pärt and Seven Words by Sofia Gubaidulina. … Read more
On 20 April, the South Czech Philharmonic gave world premiere to the Angels Overture by composer Lukáš Hurník. The piece is in fact a newly-composed prelude based on the themes of The Angels, the author’s “musical-opera” which was staged, rather unsuccessfully, eleven years ago at The National Theatre. The postmodern performance was telling a story of a group of angels, … Read more
Only a few days after the premiere of No Man at The National Theatre in Prague, the internationally acclaimed composer Jiří Kadeřábek enjoyed another great success on the Czech scene. On 16 November in Rudolfinum’s Dvořák Hall, PKF – Prague Philharmonia, led by Jakub Hrůša, presented his Duel II which was composed on the orchestra’s commission. As the title … Read more
On March 31, the New Stage of the National Theatre in Prague introduced the long-awaited premiere of No Man, opera by composer Jiří Kadeřábek (*1978). It was watched by a sold-out stage where the spectators were seated; the auditorium, this time, was the place of action. The tragic life story of sculptor Otakar Švec who, against … Read more
Movimento vivo, piano trio by Zdenek Merta (*1951) received its world premiere on March 28 in the Church of Sts. Simon and Jude in Prague. it was performed by Trio Martinů at a chamber concert organized by the Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK. Merta started working on the piece already in early 80s, but, due to his … Read more
