News

International Dance Day has been  celebrated every year around the world since 1982. In Brno, dancers will celebrate it at the piazzetta in front of the Janáček Theatre. The programme includes dance classes, performances by the NdB Ballet and the Brno Dance Conservatory.  more

Cotatcha Orchestra is giving a concert to mark the 120th anniversary of birth of the big band giant Duke Ellington. The orchestra will appear in Brno's HaDivadlo together with the Swiss vocalist Géraldine Schnyder.  more

Folklore ensemble Javorník Brno will perform together with guest ensemble of songs and dances Jiskra from Pilsen. Part of the evening in the Dělnický dům will also be a party with dulcimer music.  more

In his lecture, Miloš Štědroň will present Ludvík Kundera as Janáček's assistant and expert in his work. Milan Kundera will be shown as the author of the respected book Můj Janáček [My Janáček]. The lecture will take place in the Moravian Regional Library. The event is an accompanying programme to an exhibition about the translations of Milan Kundera’s works.  more

Representatives of the Czech crossover scene The.Switch will celebrate 15 years since the release of their album named Beautiful with a concert at the Fléda music club. The concert, which is part of a tour called BTFL15YRS, will also feature guest appearances of Sunset Trail and Denoi from Brno.  more

Vojenský umělecký soubor Ondráš (the Ondráš Military Art Ensemble) is preparing a new project in which both professional parts of the ensemble will perform and together celebrate the 65th anniversary of their founding. Krajinou času (Through the Landscape of Time) offers a mosaic of folk dance and music from selected regions of Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia and Slovakia.  more

The festival of French and francophone culture this year celebrates its 25th birthday. During the month of April Bonjour Brno will be presenting Brno with artistic productions directly from France and events inspired by the culture of the francophone countries. The programme includes concerts, films, plays, exhibitions, literary events, gastronomy and street art. There will also be the traditional Le Rendez-vous, a pétanque tournament and a children’s programme. This year’s motto is Tradition in the Move.  more

After two years the Symposium: Art | Music | Management is returning to Brno’s JAMU (Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts). Three days in April will be given over to debate, new ideas and exchanging of contacts between professionals, teachers and students. The 7th Symposium promises more than thirty lecturers from four countries and an accompanying programme. This time the symposium focuses on the education of artistic, and primarily music managers.  more

The dancer Cristina Aguilera from Granada will be heading to Brno. Aside from a concert in Besední dům there will also be an opportunity to attend her two days of dance courses. The courses are divided into three levels.  more

Clarinettist and Grammy holder Oran Etkin will perform as part of the Mladí ladí jazz [Young  People Tune Jazz] in the Stará Pekárna music club in Brno. The guests of the concert will be Peter Korman, Tibor Žida, Michael Grombiřík, Dušan Čermák and Roman Horváth. For the next day, Etkin is preparing a music workshop for children, which will take place using his own entertaining teaching method called Timbalooloo.  more

The opera King Roger by Polish composer Karol Szymanowski had its Czech première at the Janáček Theatre. The title character was played by Jiří Brückler, the king's consort Roxana was portrayed by Veronika Rovná, Roger's right hand man, the sage Edrisi, was played by Vít Nosek, while Petr Nekoranec appeared as the Shepherd and the main source of Roger's trouble. The role of the High Priest was performed by David SzendiuchJana Hrochová appeared as the Deaconess and the soprano and tenor solos were performed by Eva Daňhelová and Pavel Valenta. In addition to the soloists, the Janáček Opera NdB Choir and Orchestra conducted by Martin Buchta and the Brno Children's Choir with choirmaster Valeria Mat'ašová also performed. It was directed by Vladimír John, with set design by Martin Chocholoušek and costumes by Barbora Rašková. The lighting design was by Martin Kroupa and the choreography by Jan Kodet and Michal HeribanRobert Kružík, who also directed the première performance, took over the musical direction.  more

The international Concentus Moraviae music festival, which sees world-class performers and leading figures in the world of artistic music flock to more than twenty towns in Moravia and Lower Austria every year, kicked off its 30th anniversary on Saturday 31 May at Porta Coeli in Předklášteří. It was an evening of polyphony from the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries performed by the Graindelavoix ensemble under the direction of conductor, writer, filmmaker and anthropologist Björn Schmelzer.  more

The sixth concert of the Philharmonic at Home subscription series, entitled Beethoven, "Czech Beethoven" and Martinů, took place on Thursday 22 May at the Besední dům. As the title suggests, the programme included works by Jan Václav Hugo Voříšek, Bohuslav Martinů and Ludwig van Beethoven. This time, the Filharmonie Brno was led by conductor Alena Hron and in the first half of the concert the orchestra was accompanied by Trio Bohémo, consisting of Matouš Pěruška - violin, Kristina Vocetková - cello and Jan Vojtek - piano. The entire evening was dedicated to the recently deceased Prof. Alena Štěpánková Veselá, Brno organist, former Rector of JAMU and one of the most prominent figures on Brno's cultural scene.  more

Every year during Holy Week, the Easter Festival of Sacred Music prepares the Tenebrae - chants of lamentations and responsories performed in the dark on the eve of the feast. After ensemble performances of Zelenka's and Gesualdo's chants, Ensemble Versus have decided to present a choral repertoire of Czech origin for this year's edition. Another change is that the Tenebrae have moved from the church setting to Brno's three underground water reservoirs at Žlutý Kopec, which each evening will host three concerts lasting about forty minutes. Viewers can choose the hour that suits them best. This review looks at the first of the Tenebrae held on Holy Wednesday, 16 April, in reservoir no. 2.  more

Yesterday's opening concert of the 32nd Easter Festival of Sacred Music, held in the newly renovated Church of St. James, offered more than an hour of contemplation with the St. John Passion by the contemporary Estonian composer and this year's jubilarian, Arvo Pärt (*1935). The work was performed by the vocal ensemble Martinů Voices with artistic director Lukáš Vasilek, soloists Jiří BrücklerOndřej HolubAlena HellerováJana KuželováOndřej Benek and Martin Kalivoda, accompanied by a chamber ensemble: Daniela Valtová Kosinová (organ), Pavla Tesařová (violin), Lukáš Pospíšil (cello), Vladislav Borovka (oboe), Martin Petrák (bassoon).  more