Smetana’s Litomyšl
National festival | 10. 6. - 6. 7. 2021
Programme of 57th Smetana's Litomyšl
Programme brochure for view (external link)
Programme brochure for download (pdf)
CEREMONIAL OPENING CONCERT
Thursday, June 11th, 20.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Bedřich Smetana: Macbeth and the Witches symphonic picture for piano and orchestra (instr. Jarmil Burghauser)
Antonín Dvořák: Concerto for piano and orchestra G Minor Op. 33
Bohuslav Martinů: Symphony No. 4, H. 305
Jan Bartoš – piano, Czech Philharmonia, conductor Jiří Bělohlávek
Antonín Dvořák: REQUIEM
Friday, June 12th, 19.30 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Requiem h moll op. 89
Dedicated to the victims of World War II
Kateřina Kněžíková - soprano, Kateřina Jalovcová – mezzosoprano, Richard Samek – tenor, Martin Gurbaľ – bass
Prague Philharmonic Choir, choirmaster Lukáš Vasilek
Czech Philharmonia, conductor Jiří Bělohlávek
ENNIO MORRICONE & LUBOŠ FIŠER
Saturday, June 13th, 21.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Show of popular film melodies by two different composers who have one thing in common: their art promoted “ordinary” films to masterpieces.
Ennio Morricone:
A Fistful of Dollars / For a Few Dollars More / The Good, the Bad and the Ugly / Once Upon a Time in the West / Days of Heaven / Once Upon a Time in America / The Mission…
SINFONIA FIŠERIANA I.
Premiere of a music-visual poem based on the film and television music by Luboš Fišer: a project prepared in cooperation with the National Film Archives and Czech TV to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the author´s birth.
Taťána Roskovcová – vocal, Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra Zlín, conductor Stanislav Vavřínek
CONCERT BY POPULAR REQUEST – MUSICAL!
Sunday, June 14th, 21.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Concert performance presenting the best-known musicals, performed in English. The show will include: Cabaret, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Chicago, Les Misérables, Cats, The Phantom Of the Opera, Jekyll & Hyde, Mary Poppins, Flashdance, …
Musical ensemble of Brno City Theatre, director Stanislav Moša, artistic cooperation Petr Gazdík, conductor Dan Kalousek
CONCERT BY POPULAR REQUEST – MUSICAL!
Monday, June 15th, 21.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Concert performance presenting the best-known musicals, performed in English. The show will include: Cabaret, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Chicago, Les Misérables, Cats, The Phantom Of the Opera, Jekyll & Hyde, Mary Poppins, Flashdance, …
Musical ensemble of Brno City Theatre, director Stanislav Moša, artistic cooperation Petr Gazdík, conductor Dan Kalousek
Zdeněk Pololáník: A NIGHT FULL OF LIGHT
Tuesday, June 16th, 21.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Opera about hope, love and power of sacrifice. Libretto by Mons. Josef Hrdlička, auxiliary bishop of Olomouc, based on the theme by Paul Claudel. Performed in Czech. World premiere in Moravian Theatre Olomouc 28. 6. 2013.
Opera Ensemble of the Moravian Theatre Olomouc,
director Michael Tarant, conductor Petr Šumník
THE LITTLE PRINCE
Wednesday , June 17th, 18.00 hours, Smetana's House
Jakub Jan Ryba: Gift to the Diligent Youth
Václav Trojan: Czech Pastorals
Ivana Loudová: The Little Prince, children’s cantata based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Jan Hanuš: Spring and Summer, programme based on the Czech Year folk lyrics
Instrumental ensemble, Kühn’s Children’s Choir, conductor Jiří Chvála
A NIGHT AT THE NOVÉ HRADY CHATEAU
Wednesday, June 17th, 21.00 hours, Chateau Nové Hrady u Litomyšle
Jean-Phillipe Rameau: PYGMALION
An evening in the charming setting of a rococo mansion including site specific art and refreshments. The natural theater will present the Czech premiere of a one-act opera-ballet from 1748. Libretto by Ballot de Sovot.
Singing roles:
Pygmalion – Jaroslav Březina, Cupid – Marie Fajtová, Céphise – Karolína Bubleová Berková, The animated statue – Petra Havránková
Dancing roles:
Amor – Jonáš Janků, Psyché – Klára Hajdinová, Statues – Anna Kukuczková, Andrea Miltner, Anton Eliáš
Litomyšl KOS Singers’ Choir, choirmaster Milan Motl
Ensemble 18+
Costume and stage designer – Petra Lebdušková
Choreography – Andrea Miltner
Director – Magdalena Švecová
Music producer and conductor – Jakub Kydlíček
SAND, CHOPIN AND THE OTHERS
Thursday, June 18th, 20.00 hours, Castle Riding Hall
Premiere of a literary-musical programme with music by Fryderyk Chopin, Ferenc Liszt and pems and correspondence of great Romanticism personages.
Hana Maciuchová – recitation, Ivo Kahánek – piano
A NIGHT AT THE NOVÉ HRADY CHATEAU
Thursday, June 18th, 21.00 hours, Chateau Nové Hrady u Litomyšle
Jean-Phillipe Rameau: PYGMALION
An evening in the charming setting of a rococo mansion including site specific art and refreshments. The natural theater will present the Czech premiere of a one-act opera-ballet from 1748. Libretto by Ballot de Sovot.
Singing roles:
Pygmalion – Jaroslav Březina, Cupid – Marie Fajtová, Céphise – Karolína Bubleová Berková, The animated statue – Petra Havránková
Dancing roles:
Amor – Jonáš Janků, Psyché – Klára Hajdinová, Statues – Anna Kukuczková, Andrea Miltner, Anton Eliáš
Litomyšl KOS Singers’ Choir, choirmaster Milan Motl
Ensemble 18+
Costume and stage designer – Petra Lebdušková
Choreography – Andrea Miltner
Director – Magdalena Švecová
Music producer and conductor – Jakub Kydlíček
Giuseppe Verdi: MACBETH
Friday, June19th, 21.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Festival premiere of an opera in four acts. Libretto based on the play by William Shakespeare was written by Francesco Maria Piave. Premiere in the State Opera of the Prague National Theatre 11. 6. 2015. Performed in Italian with Czech and English surtitles.
Macbeth – Anton Keremidtchiev
Lady Macbeth – Anda Louise Bogza
Soloists, orchestra and choir of the State Opera of the Prague National Theatre, director Martin Čičvák, conductor Jiří Štrunc
A NIGHT AT THE NOVÉ HRADY CHATEAU
Friday, June 19th, 21.00 hours, Chateau Nové Hrady u Litomyšle
Jean-Phillipe Rameau: PYGMALION
An evening in the charming setting of a rococo mansion including site specific art and refreshments. The natural theater will present the Czech premiere of a one-act opera-ballet from 1748. Libretto by Ballot de Sovot.
Singing roles:
Pygmalion – Jaroslav Březina, Cupid – Marie Fajtová, Céphise – Karolína Bubleová Berková, The animated statue – Petra Havránková
Dancing roles:
Amor – Jonáš Janků, Psyché – Klára Hajdinová, Statues – Anna Kukuczková, Andrea Miltner, Anton Eliáš
Litomyšl KOS Singers’ Choir, choirmaster Milan Motl
Ensemble 18+
Costume and stage designer – Petra Lebdušková
Choreography – Andrea Miltner
Director – Magdalena Švecová
Music producer and conductor – Jakub Kydlíček
ORGAN CONCERT BY KATEŘINA CHROBOKOVÁ
Saturday, June 20th, 16.30 hours, Chapter Church of the Raising of the Holy Cross
Johann Sebastian Bach:
Toccata a fuga d minor BWV 565
„Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland“ BWV 659
Concerto for organ and orchestra (BWV 1059&35&156)
Kateřina Chroboková:
Veni Sancte Spiritus, ariations on the theme of Holy Spirit sequences of the Gregorian Hymn
Jan Hanuš:
Synfonia concertante for organ, harp, timpani and strings, Op. 31
Kateřina Chroboková – organ, Kateřina Englichová – harp, Cecile Boiffin – timpani, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice, conductor Marko Ivanović
Johann Strauss: DIE FLEDERMAUS
Saturday, June 20th, 21.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Festival premiere of a classical operetta in three acts; libretto Carl Haffner, Richard Genée. Performed in German with Czech and English surtitles.
Soloists, orchestra and choir of the State Opera of the Prague National Theatre and guest dancers, director Martin Otava, conductor Enrico Dovico
A NIGHT AT THE NOVÉ HRADY CHATEAU
Saturday, June 20th, 21.00 hours, Chateau Nové Hrady u Litomyšle
Jean-Phillipe Rameau: PYGMALION
An evening in the charming setting of a rococo mansion including site specific art and refreshments. The natural theater will present the Czech premiere of a one-act opera-ballet from 1748. Libretto by Ballot de Sovot.
Singing roles:
Pygmalion – Jaroslav Březina, Cupid – Marie Fajtová, Céphise – Karolína Bubleová Berková, The animated statue – Petra Havránková
Dancing roles:
Amor – Jonáš Janků, Psyché – Klára Hajdinová, Statues – Anna Kukuczková, Andrea Miltner, Anton Eliáš
Litomyšl KOS Singers’ Choir, choirmaster Milan Motl
Ensemble 18+
Costume and stage designer – Petra Lebdušková
Choreography – Andrea Miltner
Director – Magdalena Švecová
Music producer and conductor – Jakub Kydlíček
John Debney: THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST SYMPHONY
Sunday, June 21st, 21.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Czech premiére. Vocal symphony with a prologue, seven stations of the cross, and epilogue based on Italian, Latin and Hebrew texts composed based on a Mel Gibson movie soundtrack. Texts written and adapted by: Lisbeth Scott
Alžběta Poláčková – soprano
Lisbeth Scott – mezzosoprano
Aleš Briscein – tenor
Pedro Eustache – ethnic woodwind instruments
Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno, choirmaster Petr Fiala,
Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor John Debney
A NIGHT AT THE NOVÉ HRADY CHATEAU
Sunday, June 21st, 21.00 hours, Chateau Nové Hrady u Litomyšle
Jean-Phillipe Rameau: PYGMALION
An evening in the charming setting of a rococo mansion including site specific art and refreshments. The natural theater will present the Czech premiere of a one-act opera-ballet from 1748. Libretto by Ballot de Sovot.
Singing roles:
Pygmalion – Jaroslav Březina, Cupid – Marie Fajtová, Céphise – Karolína Bubleová Berková, The animated statue – Petra Havránková
Dancing roles:
Amor – Jonáš Janků, Psyché – Klára Hajdinová, Statues – Anna Kukuczková, Andrea Miltner, Anton Eliáš
Litomyšl KOS Singers’ Choir, choirmaster Milan Motl
Ensemble 18+
Costume and stage designer – Petra Lebdušková
Choreography – Andrea Miltner
Director – Magdalena Švecová
Music producer and conductor – Jakub Kydlíček
MUSICAL GLOBE
Monday, June 22nd, 17.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Premiere of a “travelogue“ for children, young persons and adults of young spirit, in a word everyone who believes music is fun and who wants to take part in planning the concert. Have your smartphone ready!
Jan Maxián – narration, Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava, conductor Jan Kučera
OFF-SITE CONCERT IN SVITAVY
Monday, June 22nd, 20.00 hours, Fabrika Cultural Centre Svitavy
KATT: INSIDE THE APPLE
Original project of a young Czech organ player. KATT with a specially designed instrument and software which contains sound samples of organs from all over the world reveal unexpected possibilities of combining the unique sound of a royal instrument and electronics.
KATT – organ and vocal
ON THE EDGES OF STYLES – ILLUSTRATOSPHERE & DAN BÁRTA
Tuesday, June 23rd, 21.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Special arrangements of compositions by Dan Bárta and his band tailored for the Pardubice orchestra organically merge the sound of a classical orchestra with a jazz band.
Dan Bárta – vocal
Illustratosphere
Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice, conductor Marko Ivanović
IL SANTO NOME DI MARIA
Wednesday, June 24th, 20.30 hours, Piarist Church of the Finding of the Holy Cross
Giulio Caccini: Ave Maria
Nicola Porpora: Salve Regina
Michał Lorenc: Ave Maria
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi: Stabat Mater
spiritual cantata for soprano, alto, women’s choir, string orchestra and basso continuo
Lucie Silkenová – soprano, Václava Krejčí Housková – mezzosoprano
Litomyšl KOS Singers’ Choir (girls’ section), choirmaster Milan Motl
Barocco sempre giovane, artistic leader Josef Krečmer
conductor Petr Louženský
Zuzana Lapčíková: BALLADS
Thursday, June 25th, 19.30 hours, Smetana's House
Stories of passion and desire. Dramas of unhappy love, crime, infidelity, betrayal, malediction and death. A unique experience of this dance performance is underpinned with original music and vocals of Zuzana Lapčíková.
Zuzana Lapčíková – dulcimer, vocal
Instrumental band, The National Moravian-Silesian Theatre Ostrava Ballet Ensemble, choreography and director Hana Litterová
Giacomo Puccini: TOSCA
Friday, June 26th, 21.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Musical drama in 3 acts. Premiere of the production took place in the Janáček Opera of the Brno National Theatre 15. 5. 2015. Performed in Italian with Czech and English surtitles.
Tosca – Maida Hundeling
Cavaradossi – Mickael Spadaccini
Scarpia – Jiří Sulženko
Soloists, choir and orchestra of the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno, direcotr Jiří Heřman, conductor Jakub Klecker
Giuseppe Verdi: NABUCCO
Saturday, June 27th, 21.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Opera in four acts on the libretto by Temistocle Solera. Explosive performance of soloists, captivating choirs, suggestive musical production and beautiful stage setting make this performance a highlight of the Brno opera repertoire. Performed in Italian with Czech surtitles.
Nabucco – Jakub Kettner
Ismael – Rafael Álvarez
Zachariáš – Gustáv Beláček
Abigaille – Anda Louise Bogza
Soloists, choir and orchestra of the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno,
director’s edit Jaromír Brych, conductor Jakub Klecker
VIAJE A ESPAÑA – LETTERS FROM SPAIN
Sunday, June 28th, 10.30 hours, Castle Riding Hall
Luigi Boccherini:
La Musica Notturna delle Strade di Madrid
Quintet for guitar and strings No. 4 D Major “Fandango”
Georges Bizet:
Suite from Carmen for string quartet
Premiere of a literary-musical programme accompanied by reading from Karel Čapek’s book Letters from Spain (1930)
Vladislav Bláha – guitar, Jiří Bárta – cello, Lola Karpenka – castanets, dancing, Wihan quartet
Franz Schubert: MASS No. 2 IN G MAJOR
Sunday, June 28th, 14.00 hours, Piarist Church of the Finding of the Holy Cross
Traditional thanksgiving mass celebrated by Mons. Tomáš Halík will be accompanied by Schubert’s Mass and music by F. J. Haydn, J. S. Bach and A. Dvořák in the year of the 200th anniversary of the first staging
Lucie Hájková – soprano, Ondřej Socha – tenor, Lukáš Hynek-Krämer – bass, Jan Steyer and Petr Jiříček – organ
Prague Mixed Choir, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice, conductor Jiří Petrdlík
TONKÜNSTLER ORCHESTER
Sunday, June 28th, 19.30 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Premiere guest performance of a leading European orchestra; project prepared in cooperation with the Grafenegg festival
Ludwig van Beethoven: Concerto for violin and orchestra No. 1 D major, Op. 61
Petr Iljič Čajkovskij: Italian Capriccio, Op. 45
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Symphony No. 4 in A major „Italian“
Josef Špaček – violin, Tonkünstler Orchestrer Niederösterreich, conductor Jun Märkl
PUPPETINO GRANDO
Monday, June 29th, 16.00 hours, Smetana's House
Puppetino Grando or magical playing with baroque music
Children’s puppet show with baroque music, opening an inspiring world of fantasy, magic and humour. Particularly suitable for children aged five to twelve.
Dana Chroustová, Budlana Baldanova, Slava Zubkov – actors
Gabriela Eibenová – vocal, Adam Viktora – organ, Lenka Torgensen and Adéla Štajnochrová – baroque violin, Andreas Torgersen – baroque viola, Helena Matyášová – baroque cello, Jan Krejča – theorba, Filip Dvořák – harpsichord
Theatre under the Lucky Star, Ensemble Inégal
Stage design and puppets – Slava Zubkov, director – Evgeny Ibragimov
PUPPETINO GRANDO
Monday, June 29th, 18.30 hours, Smetana's House
Puppetino Grando or magical playing with baroque music
Children’s puppet show with baroque music, opening an inspiring world of fantasy, magic and humour. Particularly suitable for children aged five to twelve.
Dana Chroustová, Budlana Baldanova, Slava Zubkov – actors
Gabriela Eibenová – vocal, Adam Viktora – organ, Lenka Torgensen and Adéla Štajnochrová – baroque violin, Andreas Torgersen – baroque viola, Helena Matyášová – baroque cello, Jan Krejča – theorba, Filip Dvořák – harpsichord
Theatre under the Lucky Star, Ensemble Inégal
Stage design and puppets – Slava Zubkov, director – Evgeny Ibragimov
CREDO OF MASTER JOHN
Monday, June 29th, 19.30 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Programme marking the 600th anniversary of burning of John Hus
Bedřich Smetana: Blaník – from the My Country cycle
Josef Suk: Praga op. 26, symphonic poem
Antonín Dvořák: Biblical Songs Op. 99
Jaroslav Krček: Credo of Master John, Premiére of the cantata for baritone, mixed choir and orchestra
Adam Plachetka – baryton (Biblical Songs)
Roman Janál – baryton (Credo of Master John)
Kühns’ mixed choir, choirmaster Marek Vorlíček
Prague Symphony Orchestra, conductor David Švec
BÁRTA PLAYS BACH
Tuesday, June 30th, 19.30 hours, Chapter Church of the Raising of the Holy Cross
A special chamber concert marking the 330th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach – choir production of Cello Suites BWV 1007 – 1012
Jiří Bárta – cello
THE HOLY SINNER
Wednesday, July 1st, 21.00 hours, Piarist Church of the Finding of the Holy Cross
Premiere of a musical-dancing performance based on Thomas Mann’s book The Holy Sinner from 1951.
Adéla Srncová – dance improvisation, Jaroslav Tůma – improvisation on organ positive, harpsichord, clavichord, Stefan Baier –improvisation on organ portative, harpsichord, clavichord, Jan Rokyta – improvisation on dulcimer, fipple flutes, Liselotte Rokyta – improvisation on pan flutes, Alan Vitouš – improvisation on percussions
Adaptation of text and musical adaptation based on the 14th to 16th century keyboard compositions – Jaroslav Tůma, choreography – Adéla Srncová, cooperating director Jiří Srnec
Modest Petrovič Musorgskij: BORIS GODUNOV
Thursday, July 2nd, 21.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
A historical musical drama in eight acts based on A.S. Pushkin. Premiere of the production in the National Theatre in Prague 26.3.2015; festival premiere. Performed in Russian with Czech and English surtitles.
The Prague National Theatre Opera Ensemble, Czech National Choir, Kühn’s Children’s Choir, dramaturgical adaptation – Petr Kofroň and Ondřej Hučín, director – Linda Keprtová, conductor – Petr Kofroň
Bedřich Smetana: THE TWO WIDOWS
Friday, July 3rd, 21.00 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Comic opera in two acts; libretto by Emanuel Züngel. Premiére in the Prague National Theatre 30. 5. 2013. Performed in Czech with Czech and English surtitles
Caroline – Marie Fajtová
Agnes – Dana Burešová
Ladislav Podhájský – Richard Samek
Mumlal – Luděk Vele
Toník – Ondřej Koplík
Lidunka – Yukiko Šrejmová Kinjo
The Prague National Theatre Opera Ensemble, costume design Theodor Pištěk, director Jiří Nekvasil, conductor Robert Jindra
BABORÁK ENSEMBLE
Saturday, July 4th, 15.00 hours, Castle Riding Hall
Ludwig van Beethoven: Septet Es dur, op. 20 for violin, viola, violoncello, contrabass, clarinet, French horn and bassoon
Lev Kogan: Hasidic Tunes
Leone Sinigaglia: Romanze op. 3
Ástor Piazolla: Historia del Tango
BABORÁK ENSEMBLE, artistic director Radek Baborák, Martina Bačová, Dalibor Karvay – violins, Karel Untermüller, Ondřej Martinovský – violas, Hana Baboráková – cello, Štěpán Kratochvíl – contrabass, Jan Brabec – clarinet, Petr Valášek – bass clarinet, Bence Bogányi – bassoon, Radek Baborák, Jan Musil, Mikuláš Koska – French horns
GALA CONCERT – A VISIT TO THE METROPOLITAN OPERA N.Y.
Saturday, July 4th, 20.30 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
Famous arias, songs and duets from operas and musicals, featuring works by:
Carl Maria von Weber, Richard Wagner, Richard Strauss, Hector Berlioz, Carlisle Floyd / Susannah, Aaron Copland / The Tender Land, Samuel Barber / Vanessa, Douglas Moore / Tha Ballad of Baby Doe, William Bolcom / A View from the Bridge, George Gershwin / Porgy and Bess, Alan Jay Lerner & Frederic Loewe / My Fair Lady, Leonard Bernstein / Candide, West Side Story…
Deborah Voigt – soprano
Garrett Sorenson – tenor
PKF – Prague Philharmonia, conductor J. David Jackson
GRAND FINALE
Sunday, July 5th, 20.30 hours, 2nd Castle Courtyard
The traditional Grand Finale will pay homage to the 330th birthday of J.S. Bach and G.F. Händel whose music, originally composed for open air performance, will be performed by an extended brass instrument section.
Johann Sebastian Bach: Orchestral suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068
Georg Friedrich Händel: Water music, orchestral suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348
Leopold Mozart: The Jagdsinfonie in G Major „Sinfonia di caccia“
Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto for two violins and strings in D Minor BWV 1043
Georg Friedrich Händel: Music for the Royal Fireworks HWV 351
Martina Bačová, Dalibor Karvay – violin, Czech Sinfonietta, conductor Radek Baborák
