On 16 October 2023, the Smetana Hall of the Municipal House in Prague will host a performance by Russian-born soprano Anna Netrebko. However, everything is pointing towards the fact that the concert of the world-famous opera singer originally from Krasnodar may not take place.
In just a few days, Prague will host an extraordinary artist and queen of brilliant colouratura – Cecilia Bartoli. This Italian mezzo-soprano is a miracle, a musical element, an angel and a devil, a woman endowed with many talents, however, Cecilia Bartoli is also involved in the protection of European cultural heritage. Last year she became President of Europa Nostra after Plácido Domingo. And Europa Nostra was the main topic of our conversation.
The respected Czech conductor, František Babický, died unexpectedly this afternoon of organ failure, aged 84.
An American film about the rise and fall of conductor Lydia Tár has finally arrived in European cinemas. Her character was masterfully rendered by Australian Cate Blanchett. In this review, Czech conductor Jan Bubák deals with the film’s depiction of the music industry.
25 November 2022 marked the centenary of the birth of composer, pianist and teacher Ilya Hurnik. Together with the jubilant’s son Lukáš we tried to look “behind” the dictionary entry Ilja Hurník.
World coloratura star Diana Damrau visited Prague at the beginning of November 2022. She sang an extraordinary concert “Bell & Bel canto” at the Prague Municipal House. Conductor Jan Bubák interviewed her on this occasion.
Before her last performance of Carmen at the Wiener Staatsoper world famous mezzo Elīna Garanča spent an afternoon with the Czech conductor Jan Bubák.
During Friday morning, September 23, 2022, our servers successfully repelled an attack by an unknown hacker group from the Russian part of the Internet.
Other measures include a decree ordering an increase in the proportion of Ukrainian music played on radio and television stations from thirty-five to forty percent.
At the age of 60 one of the most beloved and famous Czech opera soloists Lenka Šmídová has died. Aside from her career at the National Theatre she was also well known for her international appearances, having studied with Katia Ricciarelli amongst others and developing an incredibly rich repertoire thanks to her unique voice capacities ranging from dramatic soprano roles to mezzo and alto roles.Šmídová was also a well known philanthropist, patriot and protector of Czech singers and chief of the soloist committee.
Brilliant runs, breathtaking tempos, massive dynamic range and gripping theatrical gestures. All of these have long been considered the standard for the world-class Chinese pianist Lang Lang. However, during his unique piano recital in Prague he has given the audience much, much more.
Juraj Filas, a truly remarkable traditionalist Slovak composer active in the Czech Republic has passed away. His funeral will be held in St. Vitus cathedral by His Eminence Cardinal Dominik Duka on February 26th 2022.
In October Czech National Ballet premiered The Second Detail by choreographer William Forsythe. The company was rehearsed by Noah Gelber, former dancer of Forsythe’s company and one of his choreographic assistants and stagers.
It’s been seventy years since the death of influential Czech singer Míla Kočová. Despite many offers from abroad, she tied her career primarily to the […]
During the first two decades of the 20th century, as recording technology gradually took off, Rusalka’s Song to the moon was by far the most […]
In these turbulent times, we’ve decided to open up a new cycle for our readers: Opera PLUS Retro, a cycle of newly-discovered opera recordings that […]
LENKA DOHNALOVÁ During the coronavirus pandemic, debates emerged about how state funding for the arts, a prevalent model in Europe, helped or hindered arts organizations […]
The Prague Spring Festival (Festival Pražské Jaro) is part of the Czech Ministry of Culture’s pilot program to reintroduce concerts with live audiences, under strict […]
A new Czech upstart called Cesta ze tmy (Path out of Darkness) offered event organizers a way to host events with an on-site PCR appointment […]
Since February, the Hradec Králové Philharmonic has been refunding subscriptions for another canceled season. Life without live concerts is especially hard for those who do […]
