Folk & Country

The Prague Cello Quartet will perform at Špilberk in the main courtyard on August 10, 2026 from 7:00 PM.

It is well known that Adam Plachetka has recently enjoyed stepping beyond the boundaries of the classical music world to venture into musical territories he had not previously explored. Many have surely taken note of his projects involving musicals and operettas. It must be said that he approaches these excursions into genres outside of opera as a consummate professional—fully informed, deeply committed, and brimming with creative inventiveness.

Ondřej Havelka and his Melody Makers present *Heaven on Earth*.

JAN VALTA Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, music for the computer game MUNI Choir Choirmaster Jan Ocetek Medieval Band Bakchus Artistic Director Richard Závada Brno Philharmonic Conductor Jan Valta

JAN VALTA Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, music for the computer game MUNI Choir Choirmaster Jan Ocetek Medieval Band Bakchus Artistic Director Richard Závada Brno Philharmonic Conductor Jan Valta

LEONARD BERNSTEIN Candide, overture to the operetta ERICH WOLFGANG KORNGOLD Einfache Lieder (Simple Songs) Op. 9 for soprano and orchestra, Der Sturm (The Storm) for mixed choir and orchestra on a text by Heinrich Heine CARL ORFF Carmina burana Chen Reiss soprano Richard Samek tenor Aksel Daveyan baritone Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno Choirmaster Petr Fiala Brno Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor Dennis Russell Davies

Warm summer evenings are best spent under the stars accompanied by music; that is why the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno is once again bringing opera performances to the romantic setting of Špilberk Castle.

The music of Bizet’s *Carmen* embodies both French *esprit* and Spanish passion. After all, who isn’t familiar with its immortal hits—the famous Habanera or the Toreador Escamillo’s aria? Yet, what if there is something more hidden beneath this story of the fickleness of love?

Warm summer evenings are best spent under the stars accompanied by music; that is why the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno is once again bringing an opera performance to the romantic setting of Špilberk Castle.

Is Verdi’s famous *Nabucco* merely an opera about the yearning for freedom? Jiří Heřman’s production offers a compelling perspective on the story of the Babylonian king and the Jewish people, centering on family relationships and King Nebuchadnezzar himself. Filled with magnificent choral numbers and captivating vocal parts, this opera has been one of the most popular titles in our repertoire for 35 years.

Join the celebrations marking the start of the 2026/2027 season at the National Theatre Brno! Get a sneak peek at the upcoming season and discover the surprises in store for you.

Look forward to performances by the soloists, chorus, and orchestra of the Janáček Opera (NdB), conducted by Chief Conductor Robert Kružík alongside his colleagues Ondrej Olos, Jakub Klecker, and Dominik Pernica.

They will be joined by dancers from the NdB and NdB2 ballet companies, while actors from the NdB Drama Company, Pavel Čeněk Vaculík and Anna Gläsnerová, will host the evening.

The piazzetta will open to the public in the afternoon, offering a rich program for the whole family prior to the concert.

Refreshments on the piazzetta will be provided this year by Basta Catering.

The Mint Market returns this year as well; from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM, you can treat yourself to a selection of fresh fashion, original jewelry, design pieces, and tasty treats from local creators.

18:00 – 20:00 Concert conducted by four Janáček Opera conductors. 

Free admission.

Immortality is a curse.

This is the story of the mysterious opera diva Emilia Marty, a fascinating *femme fatale* who turns the lives of everyone around her upside down. Yet few suspect that behind her cool mask and captivating voice lies Elina Makropulos—the daughter of Emperor Rudolf II’s physician—who has lived for over three hundred years thanks to an elixir of youth.

Leoš Janáček composed this penultimate opera based on a famous play by Karel Čapek. While Čapek wrote his work as a conversational comedy with a detective-story plot, Janáček infused it with profound emotion. He created a gripping drama about the human longing for eternal life, but also about the endless weariness, loneliness, and cynicism that arise when death is denied. The premiere took place in 1926 at the *Divadlo Na hradbách* in Brno, attended by the composer himself. It has become one of Janáček’s most enduringly popular operas and is frequently performed on the world’s most prestigious stages.

The National Theatre Brno has prepared this production as part of the "Year of Czech Music"—marking the 160th anniversary of the composer's birth—and as the opening event of the Janáček Brno 2014 festival.

Two nations are at war, yet amidst the battlefield, a far more intimate drama unfolds—one that could lead to unexpected consequences. The Egyptian princess Amneris loves the commander Radamès; however, his heart belongs to the captive Aida, whose true identity as a princess of the enemy Ethiopian nation remains unknown to all. Unbeknownst to them, they will soon face a choice that determines life or death...

Verdi’s *Aida* is a masterpiece containing all the essential ingredients of Romantic Italian opera: love, jealousy, political intrigue, grand choral scenes, and an inevitable tragic death. Naturally, it also demands a superb cast of singers—in this instance, Csilla Boross, Sung Kyu Park, Luis Cansino, Aleš Jenis, and others. This production also marks the first time our company will collaborate with our junior ballet troupe, NdB2. While Verdi typically selected his own subjects for composition, this project came from an external source. The opera was commissioned by the Egyptian Khedive Ismail Pasha, originally intended for the celebrations marking the opening of the Suez Canal and the inauguration of the newly built Cairo Opera House. Verdi hesitated at first, but the subject matter—set in ancient Egypt and based on a story by the archaeologist Auguste Mariette—eventually captured his interest. It was not the spectacle that drew him in, but rather the intimate drama concealed beneath layers of political intrigue. This enabled him to craft a gripping and timeless story filled with powerful music—from famous arias like "Celeste Aida" and the Triumphal March to the opera’s heart-wrenching final quartet. Productions typically focus on the secret lovers Radames and Aida, but what if we were to view the entire story through the eyes of Amneris? She is determined to win Radames’s love at any cost—unaware that the ultimate price will be human lives, including that of the man she desires.

To cradle your tears in my palms…

The production of Janáček’s *Osud* (Destiny), which opened the Janáček Brno 2020 festival, marks the return of one of the finest opera directors, Robert Carsen. Known for productions acclaimed for their dramatic insight, poetic quality, and visual refinement, Carsen returns to Janáček’s operatic oeuvre to add a sixth title to his cycle of the composer's works—one created specifically for the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno (NdB). The opening notes of the orchestral waltz from the *Osud* overture immediately transport us into the midst of refined spa society; here, simple, natural prose gives way to language reminiscent of decadent poets, reflecting the inspiration Janáček drew from a beautiful woman—twenty-eight-year-old Kamila Urválková—whom he met in August 1903 at his beloved Luhačovice spa. Kamila confided in Janáček about her romance with the composer Čelanský, who had depicted his own romantic disillusionment in an opera titled *Kamila*. Janáček was so captivated by Kamila’s charm that he resolved to create a "completely new, modern opera" that would redeem her image. He described *Osud* not as an opera, but as "three novelistic episodes," placing the audience in a setting vastly different from that of his earlier works; following *Jenůfa*, Janáček’s fourth opera, *Osud*, represents a bold musical and dramaturgical foray into new territory.

CÉSAR FRANCK Psyché, symphonic poem for chorus and orchestra FWV 47
JOHANNES BRAHMS Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73

Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno
Choirmaster Petr Fiala
Brno Philharmonic
Conductor Petr Altrichter

Falling in love without losing one’s head—that is the art of relationships.

Do you need to win love, or perhaps forget it altogether? Dr. Dulcamara’s elixir can do just that! A single bottle is all it takes! Love potions have long been among the most sought-after magical remedies for young men and women alike—recipes for them can still be found online today. It is no wonder, then, that they frequently feature in legends—ranging from ancient tragedies like the tale of Tristan and Isolde to stories with happy endings that have inspired operas.

Donizetti was one of a famous trio of composers whose works dominated Italian stages in the first half of the 19th century and gradually spread across Europe and overseas. Although the plot of his *L’elisir d’amore* (The Elixir of Love)—which premiered in Milan in 1832—was not entirely original (librettist Romani openly borrowed the storyline from an opera by D. Auber), Donizetti’s music ensured that—unlike its French counterpart—it has remained one of the most popular operas from its premiere to the present day. The bittersweet story of the shy Nemorino, who falls for the wealthy Adina and attempts to win her affection with the help of a "love potion," offers a wonderful showcase for the singers; the composer penned a series of beautiful duets and arias for the roles, including Nemorino’s most famous piece, "Una furtiva lacrima."

A unifying thread runs through all of Leoš Janáček’s compositions: profound humanity and original form. This applies perhaps most strongly to his final two major works—the opera *From the House of the Dead* and the *Glagolitic Mass*. The former offers a concise glimpse into the souls of prisoners, while the latter provides a distinctive expression of faith set to an Old Church Slavonic text. The Janáček Brno 2022 festival saw a unique pairing of these two works; presenting the *Glagolitic Mass* in a staged format as a continuation of *From the House of the Dead* imbues both pieces with a new message regarding faith in humanity.

The prisoners live in the brutal conditions of a Siberian penal colony; behind every name lies a harrowing human destiny—misfortune and wickedness, yet also a spark of hope. Bit by bit, in brief vignettes, Leoš Janáček tells their stories in this singular final work. A creative genius and master of concision, Janáček manages to capture the essence of humanity within a compact scope. Despite the grim conclusion, the score of *From the House of the Dead* begins with the inscription: "In every creature, a spark of God!" This idea links his final opera to another equally unique work, the *Glagolitic Mass*. As Janáček himself put it: "Here, I wished to capture faith in the nation’s certainty—not on a religious foundation, but on a strong moral one that calls upon God as a witness."