Events

Two worldviews, one border between them – one embodies reason and light, the other is elemental, dark and irrational. One night, a charismatic shepherd arrives at the Christian court of King Roger, disrupting the established order of Christian values ​​and worldview. Does his teaching bring joy and goodness or only destruction and chaos? The opera King Roger by Polish composer Karol Szymanowski does not offer a clear answer; he himself described it as a mystery whose theme is man’s self-knowledge, his sexuality and spirituality.

HELENA ŠKÁROVÁ Piano collaboration: doc. ŠÁRKA KRÁLOVÁ Co-performers: BARBORA PETRUNIAKOVÁ, KATEŘINA ŠKÁROVÁ j. h. / vocals Program: Ilja Hurník: Flowers (song cycle) – selection; Johann Sebastian Bach: Cantata Weichtet nur betrübte Schatten – aria and recitative “Die Welt ist wieder neu”; George Frideric Handel: Agrippina, HWV 6 – Poppaea’s aria “È un foco quel d’amore”; Pierre Alexandre Monsigny: Opera Le Roi et le Fermier (The King and the Farmer) – arietta “Il regardait mon bouquet; Ludwig van Beethoven: Fidelio – Marzellina’s aria “O war' ich schon mit dir vereint”; Carl Maria von Weber: Opera Der Freischütz (The Archer) – duet of Anička and Agáta “Schelm! Halt fest!”; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro – Marcellina and Susanna's duet "Via resti servita".

DALIBOR SPILKA / clarinet Piano collaboration: doc. JANA GOLIÁŠOVÁ Co-performers: KATARÍNA KOŽÚRIKOVÁ j. h. / violin, LINDA COGANOVÁ /piano Program: Johannes Brahms: Sonata for clarinet and piano in E flat major, op. 120, no. 2; Jean Françaix: Tema con variazioni for clarinet and piano; Igor Stravinsky: Three pieces for solo clarinet; Francis Poulenc: Sonata for clarinet and piano; Waldemar von Baussnern: Serenade for violin, clarinet and piano.

VÁCLAV MARTINEC, ANITA GARDLÍKOVÁ / trumpet Piano collaboration: dept. as. Mgr. art. TOMOKO ASAHINA, ArtD. Program: Tomaso Albinoni: Trumpet Concerto in B flat major, op. 7 No. 3 (original version for oboe); Paul Hindemith: Sonata for trumpet and piano; Thorvald Hansen: Konzert Walzer; Joseph Haydn: Concerto for trumpet and orchestra in E flat major; Zdeněk Křížek: Concerto for trumpet and orchestra; Georg Friedrich Händel: Aria con Variazioni.

LUKÁŠ ŽUFÁNEK / cello Piano collaboration: doc. RENATA LICHNOVSKÁ Co-performer: ŠTĚPÁNKA ​​PLOCKOVÁ j. h. / cello Program: Gabriel Fauré: Élégie, op. 24; Fryderyk Chopin: Sonata for cello and piano in G minor, op. 65; Giovanni Sollima: Violoncelles, Vibrez!; Joseph Haydn: Concerto for cello and orchestra in C major, Hob. VIIb/1.

TOMÁŠ VOTAVA / trombone JIŘÍ PÓL / trombone (year-end performance) Piano collaboration: doc. JANA RYŠÁNKOVÁ Program: Derek Bourgeois: Concerto for trombone op. 114a; Bernhard Krol: Capriccio da camera; Carl Maria von Weber: Romance for trombone and piano; Josef Matěj: Concerto for trombone and orchestra No. 1; František Ignác Antonín Tůma: Sonata in 5 in E minor.

Daddy, how is a bride sold? How did you come to know that someone would sell a bride, Hurvínek? Well, I read here: The National Theatre in Brno is performing Bedřich Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride. So how is it, Daddy? Well, you know, it's just like... how should I put it to you... it's a trick to buy a bride for yourself. So now I'm a fool - is it being sold or bought? You know what, Hurvajz, take Žeryk and Mánička and we'll go to the opera, it'll be easier than explaining it to you!

Daddy, how is a bride sold? How did you come to know that someone would sell a bride, Hurvínek? Well, I read here: The National Theatre in Brno is performing Bedřich Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride. So how is it, Daddy? Well, you know, it's just like... how should I put it to you... it's a trick to buy a bride for yourself. So now I'm a fool - is it being sold or bought? You know what, Hurvajz, take Žeryk and Mánička and we'll go to the opera, it'll be easier than explaining it to you!

Subscription concert of the Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno. The program will feature Confidential Letters - correspondence and piano compositions by Leoš Janáček. Performers: recitation: Petr Štěpánek, piano: Terezie Fialová

Workshop for 1st – 5th grade elementary school What, but especially who, is needed to create an opera performance? And what would it be like if children became set designers, costume designers, or even an orchestra for a while? We will find out together at the workshop How to Make an Opera! So what will we experience together: Getting to know the opera genre and some opera works. We will find out who works in the opera. We will try out some professions. We will learn selected theatrical terms. We will sing.

Daddy, how is a bride sold? How did you come to know that someone would sell a bride, Hurvínek? Well, I read here: The National Theatre in Brno is performing Bedřich Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride. So how is it, Daddy? Well, you know, it's just like... how should I put it to you... it's a trick to buy a bride for yourself. So now I'm a fool - is it being sold or bought? You know what, Hurvajz, take Žeryk and Mánička and we'll go to the opera, it'll be easier than explaining it to you!

Workshop for 1st – 5th grade elementary school What, but especially who, is needed to create an opera performance? And what would it be like if children became set designers, costume designers, or even an orchestra for a while? We will find out together at the workshop How to Make an Opera! So what will we experience together: Getting to know the opera genre and some opera works. We will find out who works in the opera. We will try out some professions. We will learn selected theatrical terms. We will sing.

Music is very beneficial to health when used properly. This opinion was held by the Greek mathematician, astronomer and philosopher Pythagoras. Since ancient times, the effects of music on humans have been researched and tested in practice countless times, resulting in the emergence and great development of the field of music therapy in our time.

Orchestral concert of the JAMU Faculty of Music with the Czech Virtuosi ensemble. Conductors: František Křepela, Markus Flodin Soloists: Sebastian Brettfeld – double bass, Radek Mattuš – oboe

MARTINA LUSKOVÁ / violin Piano collaboration: MgA. ADAM ZÁVODSKÝ Program: Alfred Schnittke: Suite in the Old Style for Violin and Piano, Op. 80; Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Melancholic Serenade, Op. 26, Valse-Scherzo, Op. 34; Sergei Prokofiev: Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2 in D major, Op. 94a.

Take a Step Behind the Curtain with us. A program designed for all curious people, young and old, who want to learn something new from the world of opera theater. 70 minutes of interactive, adventurous and, above all, fun journey into the heart of opera productions with the soloists, choir and orchestra of Janáček's opera NdB.

Verdi's Aida is one of his masterpieces, which contains none of the guaranteed ingredients of a romantic Italian opera - love, jealousy, political intrigue, large choral scenes and inevitable tragic death. Of course, this also includes a great singing cast, in this case Csilla Boross, Sung Kyu Park, Luis Cansino, Aleš Jenis and others. This will also be the first time that our company will collaborate with our junior ballet company NdB2 on this production. It was Verdi who usually chose the themes to be set to music, but in this case the offer came from outside.

Introduce students to Leoš Janáček in a fun way. Let them experience Janáček! What is Janáček's story? How did he live and create? What places in Brno are associated with him and how much was his personal life reflected in the musical works he created? A two-hour educational workshop format on the rehearsal stage of the Janáček Theatre, which will guide students through the milestones of Janáček's life and work using fun activities. Practical information: Workshop intended for 4th - 6th grades of elementary schools. Program length 2 hours. The price of the workshop for up to 20 participants is 2000 CZK, each additional person above this number pays an entrance fee of 100 CZK. Arrival through the service entrance to the Janáček Theatre. We ask that students come in comfortable clothing, during the program we also sit on the floor, create, etc.

HANA JASANSKÁ / violin Piano collaboration: doc. RENATA LICHNOVSKÁ Co-performers: MARTINA KOČÍŘOVÁ j. h. / violin, JULIE ŠTĚPÁNKOVÁ / piano Program: Josef Suk/Jaroslav Kocian: Song of Love, op. 7; Josef Suk: Four Pieces for Violin and Piano, op. 17; Leoš Janáček: Sonata for Violin and Piano, JW VII/7; Evžen Zámečník: Duo I. for Two Violins; Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Suite for Violin and Piano, op. 11 “Much Ado About Nothing”.

Introduce students to Leoš Janáček in a fun way. Let them experience Janáček! What is Janáček's story? How did he live and create? What places in Brno are associated with him and how much was his personal life reflected in the musical works he created? A two-hour educational workshop format on the rehearsal stage of the Janáček Theatre, which will guide students through the milestones of Janáček's life and work using fun activities. Practical information: Workshop intended for 4th - 6th grades of elementary schools. Program length 2 hours. The price of the workshop for up to 20 participants is 2000 CZK, each additional person above this number pays an entrance fee of 100 CZK. Arrival through the service entrance to the Janáček Theatre. We ask that students come in comfortable clothing, during the program we also sit on the floor, create, etc.

Chamber cycle of members of the Orchestral Academy of the Brno Philharmonic and guests The Orchestral Academy of the Brno Philharmonic is a project that allows young talented musicians – students or recent graduates of music schools accepted on the basis of a selection procedure – to gain orchestral practice in a professional ensemble. In this way, the Philharmonic educates new generations of players who may one day join its ranks. The OAFB has been operating for six seasons and its fruits are already evident: some of its graduates are already members of our orchestra, others regularly return to help out. The importance and value of this experience for the artistic growth of young musicians and for the future of the orchestra is therefore unquestionable.

FRANTIŠEK SLIŽ / vocals Piano collaboration: dept. as. MgA. GALINA ALECHKEVITCH Co-performers: ANDREJ PRACHÁR, NELA DROZDOVÁ / vocals Program: Robert Schumann: Sechs Gesänge, op. 89; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Don Giovanni – duet of DonnaAnna and Dona Otavia “Ma qual mai s’offre, oh Dei”, Don Giovanni – aria of Dona Otavia “Dalla sua pace”, The Marriage of Figaro – tercet of Susanna, Count Almaviva, and Dona Basilio “Cosa sento”; Gaetano Donizetti: L’elisir d’amore – aria of Nemorino “Una furtiva lagrima”; Gioacchino Rossini: Cinderella (La Cenerentola) – aria of Dona Ramiro “Si ritrovarla io guiro”; Bedřich Smetana: The Bartered Bride – Vašek's aria "Ma ma matička", Vašek's aria "It's in my head", duet Mařenka and Jeník "Faithful love", duet Jeník and Kecal "I know a girl, she has ducats.

CARL MARIA von WEBER Abu Hassan, Overture JOHANNES BRAHMS / arr. LUCIANO BERIO Opus 120 No. 1, Sonata No. 1 for Clarinet and Orchestra CARL MARIA von WEBER Concertino in E flat major for Clarinet and Orchestra Op. 26 FELIX MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY Symphony No. 3 in A minor Op. 56 “Scottish” Sharon Kam clarinet Brno Philharmonic conductor Ivor Bolton Carl Maria von Weber (1786–1826), Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847) and Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) are among the pillars of German Romanticism, which began to blossom in Weber’s work, developed in Mendelssohn’s and found the peak of its classical-romantic branch in Brahms’s works, emphasizing music as an absolute art.

Another SoundChain electroacoustic music concert Another concert evening in the SoundChain series focuses on the relationship between analog instruments and acousmatic music. The program combines live performances with analog and modular systems with acousmatic compositions that were inspired by analog technologies and their specific sound processes. An important aspect is the principle of nonlinear feedback processes, which are particularly pronounced in analog electronic instruments. Even minimal time shifts or minor changes in circuits can lead to radical transformations of sound structures and the formation of new perceptual horizons. Feedback loops here serve as tools that show how complex and dynamic musical structures can develop from tiny time deviations. The concert will be held in a top-notch multichannel performance, thus presenting an ideal opportunity to listen to electroacoustic music.

Bedřich Smetana originally thought of a comic opera with librettist Eliška Krásnohorská. In the end, while composing his last completed opera, the composer found moments in the romantic text, inspired by an old legend about a wall of stones built by the devil on the river by the Vyšehrod monastery, that gave the whole story a different tone. Smetana's isolation in Jabkenice and his dismal health and depression were reflected in the individual characters, and the comicalness was replaced by the depth of their feelings. The humor did not disappear either, but it is combined with the desire for love, life wisdom, melancholy and devilish temptation, so that the main tone was a celebration of love, loyalty and dedication.

CARL MARIA von WEBER Abu Hassan, Overture JOHANNES BRAHMS / arr. LUCIANO BERIO Opus 120 No. 1, Sonata No. 1 for Clarinet and Orchestra CARL MARIA von WEBER Concertino in E flat major for Clarinet and Orchestra Op. 26 FELIX MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY Symphony No. 3 in A minor Op. 56 “Scottish” Sharon Kam clarinet Brno Philharmonic conductor Ivor Bolton Carl Maria von Weber (1786–1826), Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847) and Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) are among the pillars of German Romanticism, which began to blossom in Weber’s work, developed in Mendelssohn’s and found the peak of its classical-romantic branch in Brahms’s works, emphasizing music as an absolute art.

That they sit nicely on chairs at concerts? That they are not allowed to laugh and sing at them? That classical music is not for small children? But no way! This does not apply to our chamber family afternoons, intended for children aged 3–8 and their parents who have not yet forgotten how to play! Play together with the philharmonic orchestra, ask questions during the concert, sing, dance. Everything is allowed. Without barriers and inhibitions, with music among us. Petr Pomkla flute Jaroslav Zouhar trombone Barbara Tolarová violin Kristýna Jungová violin Klára Kunc Hegnerová viola Katarína Madariová cello moderated by Kristýna Drášilová and Magdalena Dostálová

That they sit nicely on chairs at concerts? That they are not allowed to laugh and sing at them? That classical music is not for small children? But no way! This does not apply to our chamber family afternoons, intended for children aged 3–8 and their parents who have not yet forgotten how to play! Play together with the philharmonic orchestra, ask questions during the concert, sing, dance. Everything is allowed. Without barriers and inhibitions, with music among us. Petr Pomkla flute Jaroslav Zouhar trombone Barbara Tolarová violin Kristýna Jungová violin Klára Kunc Hegnerová viola Katarína Madariová cello moderated by Kristýna Drášilová and Magdalena Dostálová

Bedřich Smetana originally thought of a comic opera with librettist Eliška Krásnohorská. In the end, while composing his last completed opera, the composer found moments in the romantic text, inspired by an old legend about a wall of stones built by the devil on the river by the Vyšehrod monastery, that gave the whole story a different tone. Smetana's isolation in Jabkenice and his dismal health and depression were reflected in the individual characters, and the comicalness was replaced by the depth of their feelings. The humor did not disappear either, but it is combined with the desire for love, life wisdom, melancholy and devilish temptation, so that the main tone was a celebration of love, loyalty and dedication.

ZUZANA MATOUŠKOVÁ / flute Piano collaboration: dept. as. BOHUMÍR STEHLÍK Co-performer: JOSEF PAIK j. h. / bassoon Program: Georg Philipp Telemann: Fantasy for solo flute in D minor, TWV 40:7, Fantasy for solo flute in G minor, TWV 40:13; Henri Dutilleux: Sonatina for flute and piano; Camille Saint-Saëns: Odelette, op. 162; Edison Denisov: Sonata for flute and piano; Lowell Liebermann: Sonata for flute and piano, op. 23; Albert Roussel: Joueurs de flûte, op. 27.

Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.

Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.

Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.

Flutist Sofia Mavrogenidou and Barbara Maria Willi are linked by a long musical journey and a passion for both ancient and contemporary music; their interplay is rooted in a deep understanding and joy of creating together. For the new project, which will open the 23rd year of the cycle, the artists have invited a pair of talented dancers whose contemporary expressive dance reflects this musical unity in movement and proves that “old music” can be so damn young! Program: SOFIA MAVROGENIDOU, JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH, GEORG FRIEDRICH HÄNDEL

Where did opera originate? What is a libretto? Who is a stage manager? And what does a set designer need to know? You will learn this and much more at our workshop. Participants will learn about the opera genre, the process of creating a production, the operation of the theatre and the professions that work in the theatre. It also includes a taste of opera singing. Participants will experience several activities that will give them a glimpse into the workings of an opera theatre, the opera genre and its demands. The workshop also includes a short tour of the Janáček Theatre.

Music in the main role, that's how Dvořák's opera Jakobín could be summed up, because it is precisely it that can change the fate of all the characters in the opera. At the same time, Dvořák created a charming picture of a Czech town from the Enlightenment era populated by quirky figures of the music-loving teacher Benda, his stubborn daughter Terinka in love with the young teacher Jiřík, or the cocky burgrave Filip. Perhaps it was a fond memory of the circumstances of his own youth that brought so many charming, rich melodies, both playful and melancholic, to Dvořák's music, be it the famous scene of the school cantata, the duet "We wandered abroad" or Juliet's lullaby. What better opera to start the season falling under the Year of Czech Music with than Jakobín, which is Dvořák's tribute to Czech music and the people who love it above all else.

GEORG FRIEDRICH HANDEL Alexander's Feast, Overture LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3 in E flat major "Eroica" Op. 55 (selection from the 1st movement - Allegro con brio) AARON COPLAND Lincoln Portrait (selection) DMITRY SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 9 in E flat major Op. 70 (1st movement - Allegro), Symphony No. 10 in E minor Op. 93 (2nd movement - Allegro) BEDŘICH SMETANA Fanfares from the opera Libuše Brno Philharmonic conductor Stanislav Vavřínek moderators Kristýna Drášilová and Vítězslav Mikeš script by Kristýna Drášilová

GEORG FRIEDRICH HANDEL Alexander's Feast, Overture LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3 in E flat major "Eroica" Op. 55 (selection from the 1st movement - Allegro con brio) AARON COPLAND Lincoln Portrait (selection) DMITRY SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 9 in E flat major Op. 70 (1st movement - Allegro), Symphony No. 10 in E minor Op. 93 (2nd movement - Allegro) BEDŘICH SMETANA Fanfares from the opera Libuše Brno Philharmonic conductor Stanislav Vavřínek moderators Kristýna Drášilová and Vítězslav Mikeš script by Kristýna Drášilová

PETRA BURGETOVÁ / vocals Piano collaboration: dept. as. MgA. MAREK PAĽA Co-performers: ZDEŇKA MALINOVÁ / harpsichord, MATĚJ KOVANDA / cello, ARSENY MENKOV / oboe, ANETA HABŠUDOVÁ j. h. / viola, JAKUB KUB / percussion, BEDŘIŠKA PONÍŽILOVÁ / vocals Program: Johann Sebastian Bach: Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten BWV 202 – aria Sich üben im lieben; Alessandro Scarlatti: Griselda – Griselda’s aria “In voler ciò che tu brami”, “Figlio! Tiranno!”; Edvard Grieg: Suite Peer Gynt, op. 23 – Solveig’s song, Solveig’s lullaby; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Chi sà, chi sà, qual sia, KV 582; Franz Lehár: The Merry Widow – Hanna’s aria “Vilja Lied”; Claudio Monteverdi: Ciaccona Zefiro torna e di soavi accents; Fernando Obradors: Canciones clásicas españolas, Vol. 1 – selection, Canciones clásicas españolas, Vol. 2 – selection; Jules Massenet: Cendrillon - Aria Cendrillon Ah! Que mes soeurs sont heureuses!; Antonin Dvořák: Armida - Armida's aria "Behind the slender gazelle".

Bedřich Smetana originally thought of a comic opera with librettist Eliška Krásnohorská. In the end, while composing his last completed opera, the composer found moments in the romantic text, inspired by an old legend about a wall of stones built by the devil on the river by the Vyšehrod monastery, that gave the whole story a different tone. Smetana's isolation in Jabkenice and his dismal health and depression were reflected in the individual characters, and the comicalness was replaced by the depth of their feelings. The humor did not disappear either, but it is combined with the desire for love, life wisdom, melancholy and devilish temptation, so that the main tone was a celebration of love, loyalty and dedication.

DAVYD BAHDASARIAN / guitar Piano collaboration: doc. RENATA LICHNOVSKÁ Program: Jeseok Bang: Variations Hommage and Julian Bream; Mauro Giuliani: Rossiniana No. 1; Kevin Callahan: The Red Fantasy; Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Capriccio Diabolico, op. 85; Joaquín Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez.

KRISTÝNA FÖRDÖSOVÁ / harpsichord Co-performers: ZDEŇKA MALINOVÁ / harpsichord, VERONIKA FÖRDÖSOVÁ, ADÉLA ONDRÁČKOVÁ / French horn Program: Josef Antonín Štěpán: Sonata in B flat major; Girolamo Frescobaldi: Toccata seconda; Georg Friedrich Handel: Suite for two harpsichords in C minor, HWV 446; Alessandro Marcello/Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto in D minor, BWV 596; Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto for 2 horns, strings and basso continuo in F major, RV 538; Gaspard Le Roux: Suite in D minor for two harpsichords.

The production by one of the world's best opera directors, Robert Carsen, had a successful premiere at the Janáček Brno Festival 2016. His productions, with their outstanding individual poetics, dramaturgical restraint and emotional, lively and extremely impressive theatre, have been in the repertoire of the most important opera houses for many years, be it La Scala in Milan, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Glyndebourne Festival in England or the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Káťa Kabanová is one of Carsen's five productions of Janáček's operas and was originally created for the Flemish Opera. Since its premiere, it has been performed in more than 20 opera houses around the world and it is no wonder that the production with its impressive scenography, where the water surface covers the entire stage and reflects Káťa's emotions and tragic fate, is one of Carsen's best works.