Events

Prison, or a ball filled with beautiful women? The choice is easy—provided his wife doesn't find out.

Gabriel Eisenstein is due to serve a one-week jail sentence for contempt of court. At home, he pretends to be heading off to serve his time, but instead goes incognito to enjoy a gala hosted by the exotic Prince Orlofsky. His wife, Rosalinda, takes advantage of his absence to invite her former lover, Alfred, over; however, their tryst is interrupted by the guards who have arrived to take her husband to prison.

Martina Janková / soprano

Barbara M. Willi / fortepiano

Do you love Antonín Dvořák and think you know his work down to the very last note? You are in for a delightful surprise with his very early songs—miniature musical gems that reveal the charm and freshness of the young Dvořák’s musical language. What’s more, they will be performed by the star soprano Martina Janková—a favorite of our concert series audience—who, together with Barbara Maria Willi and her unique fortepiano, will breathe new life into these forgotten melodies.
This focus on the young Dvořák and his vocal works is reflected in the new *Urtext* edition of "Songs I" from the Bärenreiter publishing house, which you can view at the concert. It contains 31 songs, including *Vzpomínání* (Reminiscence)—the first song he ever performed in public—which has now been published for the very first time and will be performed here as well!
Program:
Antonín Dvořák
Songs to texts by Eliška Krásnohorská, B. 23 (selection)
Rosmarine / Rozmarýna, B. 24bis
The Orphan (Sirotek), Op. 5, B. 24
Robert Schumann
Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op. 15 for solo fortepiano (selection)
Antonín Dvořák
Four Songs to Serbian Folk Poetry, Op. 6, B. 29 (selection)
Songs to texts from the *Manuscript of Dvůr Králové*, Op. 7, B. 30 (selection)
Two Pieces for Piano, B. 188
Two Songs to Folk Texts, B. 142
In Folk Tone, Op. 73, B146 (selection)

A celebratory day awaits the family—the fulfillment of their faith and a long-awaited promise. Everyone believes the moment has come to ascend to a "higher level." Yet one of them—a young girl—begins to have doubts. Disturbing encounters, an unexpected apparition, and mounting uncertainty pit her against her family, the leader of the religious community, and her own faith. What happens when she opens a door that was meant to remain closed? An intimate story about disillusionment, the courage to question, and the things that bind us together—or tear us apart.

Communing with the Spirit of Ivan Blatný

Concert Program:

GÉRARD GRISEY: Périodes
MICHAL RATAJ: A Game of Chess (2026) – commissioned by the BCO (Brno Contemporary Orchestra), world premiere
FAUSTO ROMITELLI: An Index of Metals

Kaoko Amano (soprano)
Paolo Pachini / Martin Svobodník (video)
Michal Rataj and Pavel Blažek (chess players)
BCO – Brno Contemporary Orchestra
Conductor: Pavel Šnajdr

Romitelli’s monumental video-opera *An Index of Metals* represents an extension of spectral principles into the realm of multimedia, while simultaneously linking them with the aesthetics of psychedelic rock, noise, and electronic music. The composer himself viewed the work as an attempt to transcend the boundaries of opera. He sought to create a "total perceptual experience" in which sound, image, and light merge into a single stream leading to a hypnotic trance. Here, Romitelli develops his fascination with the materiality of sound and speaks of abandoning traditional operatic narrative: the "plot" is not a story, but rather the transformation of sound, image, and energy. The work will be performed in the industrial space of the former garages near Bobycentrum. Its raw architecture and unique acoustics are ideal for this audiovisual event; the space does not merely serve as a backdrop but becomes an active participant, merging with the image and sound into a single, immersive whole.

The Soul of England.

These songs are little gems—offering drama, deep emotion, and laughter all within the span of just a few minutes.

South African countertenor Christopher Ainslie is a star of Baroque opera, yet the world of song is his second home. Join him in discovering the magic of early English music and exploring the depths of the English soul as captured by John Dowland, Thomas Campion, Henry Purcell, and others.

FILIP DOBROCKÝ (1998)
Ecosystem 2.0, a networked sound installation inspired by natural ecosystems

The installation consists of a system of fictional life forms that communicate with one another through musical patterns. While these cybernetic organisms manifest themselves via sound or light, the very essence of their communication remains hidden from human perception—information is transmitted via a wireless mesh network. The quality of transmission directly influences the behavior of individual entities; thus, the physical properties of the network—including lost or delayed messages—help shape the resulting soundscape. Each recipient subsequently modifies the received pattern according to its own "DNA," thereby creating a decentralized genetic algorithm. The installation thus forms a dynamic system in which sound structures continuously transform through the communication, mutation, and adaptation of individual organisms.

The installation is open to the public starting at 18:00, one hour before the concert.

Pēteris Vasks: Concerto for Viola and Strings
Franz Schubert: Mass No. 5 in A-flat Major

Kristina Fialová (viola)
Marta Chila Reichelová (soprano)
Marie Vrbová (alto)
Vít Nosek (tenor)
Tadeáš Hoza (bass)
Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno
Choirmaster Petr Fiala
Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic
Conductor Robert Kružík

GIACINTO SCELSI String Quartet No. 4
JONATHAN HARVEY String Quartet No. 3
JAN KAVAN *Periphéria* for string quartet and live electronics (festival commission, world premiere)
KAIJA SAARIAHO *Nymphéa* for string quartet and electronics
FRANCK BEDROSSIAN *Tracés d’ombres* for string quartet
GEORG FRIEDRICH HAAS String Quartet No. 5

Fama Q String Quartet
. David Danel violin
. Roman Hranička violin
. Ondřej Martinovský viola
. Balázs Adorján cello 

The program presents works by composers from several generations, united by an interest in timbre as an independent element of musical thought. The starting point is the work of Giacinto Scelsi, whose focus on the internal structure and mutability of a single tone foreshadowed many principles of later spectral music. Alongside his work, the program features pieces by Jonathan Harvey and Kaija Saariaho, as well as representatives of contemporary post-spectral trends—such as Georg Friedrich Haas and Franck Bedrossian, the latter of whom, through his *musique saturée* aesthetic, pushes spectral thinking toward extreme sonic density and intensity. Here, the string quartet serves as an exceptionally sensitive medium for revealing subtle transformations within the sound itself. In some of the works, the ensemble's capabilities are further expanded through the use of electronics and spatialization.

A celebratory day awaits the family—the fulfillment of their faith and a long-awaited promise. Everyone believes the moment has come to ascend to a "higher level." Yet one of them—a young girl—begins to have doubts. Disturbing encounters, an unexpected apparition, and mounting uncertainty pit her against her family, the leader of the religious community, and her own faith. What happens when she opens a door that was meant to remain closed? An intimate story about disillusionment, the courage to question, and the things that bind us together—or tear us apart.

KARLHEINZ ESSL solo set with live electronics and modular synthesizers, world premieres:
Doing Math
Coastline extended
L0P.7OP
Foldinger

FRANCISZEK ARASZKIEWICZ Deep Thought, a performance for live electronics and brainwaves

Karlheinz Essl / Franciszek Araszkiewicz electroacoustic performances

The evening presents two distinct approaches to live electronic music, united by a quest to explore new relationships between human, technology, and sound. Karlheinz Essl, a pioneer of algorithmic composition, has in recent years focused intensely on performances using modular synthesizers and his own custom electronic instruments. His current work operates at the intersection of composition, improvisation, and generative processes, creating complex sonic structures in real time. The program features several new compositions and sound performances for electronics, utilizing modular instruments assembled specifically for this project. In his project Deep Thought, Polish composer and performer Franciszek Araszkiewicz focuses on the connection between the human mind and electronic sound. Using a tablet, electromagnetic sensors, and a brain activity monitor, he translates neural signals into sound in real time. This approach continues the tradition of biofeedback performances, a lineage notably established by Alvin Lucier’s 1965 work Music for Solo Performer. A simple visual layer allows the audience to observe the connections between the performer's mental activity and the resulting sound. This raises questions regarding the boundaries between conscious control, biological processes, and the technological mediation of musical gesture.

JAMES TENNEY In a Large, Open Space
PETER ABLINGER Outside
JORGE SÁNCHEZ-CHIONG Some Ways of Music Making

Jorge Sánchez-Chiong – turntables
Dust in the Groove:
Claudia Cervenca – vocals
Jana Vondrů – vocals
Žaneta Vítová – accordion
Martin Opršál – marimba
Radim Hanousek – bass clarinet, saxophone
Jan Přibil – trumpet
Yoram Rosilio – double bass
Valentin Duit – percussion, drums
Jakub Švejnar – percussion, drums
Otto Wanke – electronics
Ladislav Mirvis Mirvald – sound design

Program:

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921): Marche religieuse, Op. 107

Bedřich Smetana (1824–1884): Vltava from the symphonic poem cycle *Má vlast* (arranged for organ by Jonathan Scott, Barbara Bannasch, and Pravoslav Březík)

Robert Schumann (1810–1856): Six Studies in Canonic Form, Op. 56

No. 3 Andantino — No. 5 Nicht zu schnell — No. 1 Nicht zu schnell

Franz Liszt (1811–1886): Fantasy and Fugue on the Chorale "Ad nos, ad salutarem undam"

Nominated for a 2024 International Opera Award in the New Production category.

"You don't look so bad, you pale fellow up there. Oh, surely your people are happier than us poor earthlings!" cries Matěj Brouček to the Moon shining over Prague. An artist’s imagination knows no bounds—so why not journey there with Janáček and find out if Mr. Brouček is right?

"Without Boundaries!" is a fitting motto for the work of director Robert Carsen, whose productions are acclaimed worldwide for their dramatic vision, poetic quality, humor, and visual sophistication. The famous director’s path crossed with the Czech composer’s work many years ago, and today Carsen has productions of six Janáček operas to his credit. In 2020, he created a production of *Osud* (Destiny) for the Brno company, and he now returns to the stage of the Janáček Theatre, where his new production of *The Excursions of Mr. Brouček* will ceremoniously open the Janáček Brno 2024 festival.

World-renowned vocal legend Andreas Scholl returns to Brno. Marking yet another collaboration, this project brings monumental works of the European Baroque—performed in an authentic style—beneath the vaulted ceiling of the Cathedral on Petrov Hill.

The concert commemorates the 500th anniversary of the Habsburgs' accession to the Czech throne, featuring ceremonial music composed for coronations and pivotal historical moments marked by the sound of trumpets and choirs. The program includes, among other works, Handel’s *Zadok the Priest*.

Program: G. F. Handel: Coronation Anthems, J. D. Zelenka: Te Deum, J. J. Fux: Turcaria
Conductor: Andreas Scholl
Performer: SILENTIUM!ensemble

An Evening of Solo Piano and Live Electronics

TRISTAN MURAIL Cailloux dans l’eau
MAREK KEPRT Intermezzo I
TRISTAN MURAIL Cloches d’adieu, et un sourire
MAREK KEPRT Intermezzo II
DANIEL OLIVER MOSER Angry Birds for piano
DAN DLOUHÝ SPEC Trail m u s i ……., world premiere
TRISTAN MURAIL La Mandragore
MAREK KEPRT Intermezzo III
TRISTAN MURAIL Résurgence

Marek Keprt, piano

Centered on the work of Tristan Murail, this program showcases the piano compositions of a key figure in spectral music. In his pieces, the piano is not merely an instrument but becomes an object of exploration—it is not just music *for* the piano, but in a sense, music *about* the piano. Resonance and the hidden processes occurring within the sound come to the fore, serving as the fundamental building blocks of the musical form. At the same time, Murail’s music serves as a starting point for new compositions by Marek Keprt, the evening’s soloist. Keprt works with the motivic and sonic material of the featured pieces, creating seamless transitions between the program's various sections. The electronic layer of these *Intermezzi* simultaneously expands the piano’s acoustic possibilities and highlights a central aspect of Murail’s aesthetic: the conception of sound as a process of constant transformation. The program is complemented by a work by Daniel Oliver Moser—a former student of Murail—and the premiere of a new piece by Dan Dlouhý, which develops certain spectral principles through contemporary algorithmic and computer-assisted compositional techniques.

Program:

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): Bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden, BWV 6 Hochgelobter Gottessohn

Georg Friedrich Handel (1685–1759): Saul, HWV 53

O Lord, whose mercies are numberless

Diogenio Bigaglia (1678–1745): Non lasciarmi, o bella speme

I. aria: Non lasciarmi, o bella speme; II. recitative: Togli dalla mia speme ogni sospetto; III. aria: Non m'è sì grave la lontananza

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (Actus tragicus), BWV 106

3.a – aria: In deine Hände befehl ich meinen Geist; 3.b – arioso and chorale: Heute wirst du mit mir im Paradies sein / Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin

Vicente Martín y Soler (1754–1806): 12 Canzonette italiane - a selection

Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741): Orlando furioso, RV 728

Sol da te, mio ​​dolce amore

Joseph Haydn (1732–1809): Questa mano e questo cuore

Joseph Haydn (1732–1809): Il mondo della luna, Hob. XXVIII:7

Non aver di me sospetto

GIACINTO SCELSI Quattro pezzi su una nota sola
GÉRARD GRISEY Partiels
TRISTAN MURAIL Désintégrations
CLAUDE VIVIER Lonely Child

Donatienne Michel-Dansac, soprano
Brno Philharmonic
Conductor: Szymon Bywalec

The Brno Philharmonic’s final orchestral concert, led by Polish conductor Szymon Bywalec, presents four iconic works that shaped the landscape of spectral music in the second half of the 20th century. The program opens with Scelsi’s *Quattro pezzi su una nota sola*, a composition whose radical focus on the inner life of a single note foreshadowed many principles of the later spectral aesthetic. Scelsi’s legacy is continued by Grisey’s *Partiels* and Murail’s *Désintégrations*—seminal works by founding members of the ensemble L’Itinéraire, whose music transformed traditional concepts of harmony, form, and orchestration, opening up new relationships between the acoustic structure of sound and musical form. The concert concludes with Vivier’s *Lonely Child*, one of the most significant vocal-orchestral works of the late 20th century, featuring the renowned French soprano Donatienne Michel-Dansac, a leading interpreter of contemporary music.

Introduce students to Leoš Janáček in a fun and engaging way. Let them experience Janáček firsthand!

What is Janáček’s story? How did he live and create? Which places in Brno are linked to him, and how did his personal life shape the music he composed? This two-hour educational workshop takes place on the rehearsal stage of the Janáček Theatre and guides students through the milestones of Janáček’s life and work using entertaining activities.

Practical information:

Workshop designed for primary school students (grades 4–6).
Program duration: 2 hours.
Workshop fee: 2,000 CZK for up to 20 participants; an admission fee of 100 CZK applies for each additional person.
Arrival via the Janáček Theatre staff entrance.
Please ensure students wear comfortable clothing, as the program involves sitting on the floor, creative activities, etc.
To book the program, please contact the opera education specialist: Klára Mazlová (mazlova@ndbrno.cz, +420 607 089 755).

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

It began with a slim novella by the French writer Prosper Mérimée about Don José, a man who—driven by a foolish passion for a wild Gypsy woman—deserted the army to become a smuggler and a murderer. Directed by Tomáš Pilař, this production of *Carmen* returns to the original story, revealing new layers of the characters; here, they are, above all, human beings hailing from vastly different backgrounds. It is not merely a tale of Carmen’s fickle, unbridled love—something the jealous José cannot come to terms with. It is a clash of two worlds: the orderly, tidy realm of José and Micaëla, bound by established rules, and the world of Gypsies and smugglers living day-to-day, free from laws and driven by immediate impulses. Their worlds suddenly collide, but this disparity sparks a tension and conflict that ultimately lead to the total destruction of both. Neither is able to prevent this, as neither is willing—or able—to yield.

Brno Philharmonic
Conductor: Dominik Pernica
Hosts: Kristýna Drášilová and Vítězslav Mikeš
Script and Direction: Kristýna Drášilová

We are already familiar with the orchestra—we know how powerful it can sound and why it needs a conductor to keep it all together. But what actually lies within? What instruments make up its colorful world? Who takes the lead, and who waits patiently for their big moment? And can an orchestral musician simply sit wherever they please?

The Family Subscription series takes you into the inner workings of the musical system known as the orchestra. Together, we will discover how the various sections interact: who sets the tempo, who carries the melody, and who builds tension in the background. We will learn that every instrument plays an indispensable role—and that even silence can be charged with anticipation.

This year, you don’t have to remain mere listeners! We invite you to join forces with our orchestra: young listeners can prepare alongside their teachers, while adults can dust off their own instruments. Let’s experience that unique feeling together—being part of an orchestra.

Brno Philharmonic
Conductor: Dominik Pernica
Hosts: Kristýna Drášilová and Vítězslav Mikeš
Script and Direction: Kristýna Drášilová

We are already familiar with the orchestra—we know how powerful it can sound and why it needs a conductor to keep it all together. But what actually lies within? What instruments make up its colorful world? Who takes the lead, and who patiently waits for their big moment? And can an orchestral musician simply sit wherever they please?

The Family Subscription series takes you deep into the inner workings of the musical system known as the orchestra. Together, we will discover how the various sections interact, who sets the tempo, who carries the melody, and who builds the tension in the background. We will learn that every instrument plays an indispensable role—and that even silence can be charged with anticipation.

This year, you don’t have to remain mere listeners! We invite you to join forces with our orchestra: young listeners can prepare alongside their teachers, while adults should dust off their instruments. Let’s experience that unique feeling together—being part of an orchestra.

Brno Philharmonic
Conductor: Dominik Pernica
Hosts: Kristýna Drášilová and Vítězslav Mikeš
Script and Direction: Kristýna Drášilová

We are already familiar with the orchestra—we know how powerful it can sound and why it needs a conductor to keep it all together. But what actually lies within? What instruments make up its colorful world? Who takes the lead, and who waits patiently for their big moment? And can an orchestral musician simply sit wherever they please?

The Family Subscription series takes you into the inner workings of the musical system known as the orchestra. Together, we will discover how the various sections interact: who sets the tempo, who carries the melody, and who builds tension in the background. We will learn that every instrument plays an indispensable role—and that even silence can be charged with anticipation.

This year, you don’t have to remain mere listeners! We invite you to join forces with our orchestra: young listeners can prepare alongside their teachers, while adults can dust off their own instruments. Let’s experience that unique feeling together—being part of an orchestra.

Brno Philharmonic
Conductor: Dominik Pernica
Hosts: Kristýna Drášilová and Vítězslav Mikeš
Script and Direction: Kristýna Drášilová

We are already familiar with the orchestra—we know how powerful it can sound and why it needs a conductor to keep it all together. But what actually lies within? What instruments make up its colorful world? Who takes the lead, and who waits patiently for their big moment? And can an orchestral musician simply sit wherever they please?

The Family Subscription series takes you into the inner workings of the musical system known as the orchestra. Together, we will discover how the various sections interact, who sets the tempo, who carries the melody, and who builds tension in the background. We will learn that every instrument plays an indispensable role—and that even silence can be charged with anticipation.

And this year, you don’t have to remain mere listeners! We invite you to join forces with our orchestra: young listeners can prepare alongside their teachers, while adults should dust off their instruments. Let’s experience that unique feeling together—being part of an orchestra.

Kristián Šebek has twice sold out Prague’s Lucerna Hall with his musical project "Můj vzor, ​​Božský Karel" (My Idol, the Divine Karel), and his concerts across the country have been completely sold out for two years running! This year, he is embarking on a tour accompanied by the Slawinski Orchestra, featuring songs you have never heard him perform before and visiting venues where he has never appeared until now!

Audiences can look forward to everything they have come to expect from his concerts. The repertoire will include not only the most famous melodies of his idol, Karel Gott—such as "Stokrát chválím čas," "Lady Karneval," and "Jdi za štěstím"—but also hits by other Czech and international legends like Waldemar Matuška, Frank Sinatra, Jiří Korn, and Elvis Presley. There will also be melodies from films and fairy tales—all perfectly arranged for his orchestra.

As part of its "Musical Inventories" concert series, the ensemble traditionally focuses on the (re)discovery and commissioning of works by Czech composers. This year’s programming is dedicated to compositions that blend the worlds of music and theater. Trio Aperto will perform works by Jiří Teml, Karel Odstrčil, Leoš Faltus, Jana Vöröšová, and Vojtěch Dlask.

Kristián Šebek has twice sold out Prague’s Lucerna Hall with his musical project "Můj vzor, ​​Božský Karel" (My Idol, the Divine Karel), and his concerts across the country have been completely sold out for two years running! This year, he is embarking on a tour accompanied by the Slawinski Orchestra, featuring songs you have never heard him perform before and visiting venues where he has never appeared until now!

Audiences can look forward to everything they have come to expect from his concerts. The repertoire will include not only the most famous melodies of his idol, Karel Gott—such as "Stokrát chválím čas," "Lady Karneval," and "Jdi za štěstím"—but also hits by other Czech and international legends like Waldemar Matuška, Frank Sinatra, Jiří Korn, and Elvis Presley. There will also be melodies from films and fairy tales—all perfectly arranged for his orchestra.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: from minute details to the broader context.
What lies behind the image of the "child prodigy" and musical genius?
This program by Miloš Štědroň marks the 270th anniversary of Mozart’s birth and the 235th anniversary of his death.

Miloš Štědroň (b. 1942)
Composer, musicologist, and educator. His personality is characterized by a wide range of interests and a prolific output spanning scholarly, artistic, critical, journalistic, and organizational activities. He summarized the insights gained from a lifetime of studying the life and work of Leoš Janáček in the monograph *Leoš Janáček and 20th-Century Music*. He also focuses on music from the 16th to the 18th centuries, specifically the Renaissance, Mannerist, and Baroque periods. His own compositions span a diverse array of fields and genres; he is also well known for his stage music, having created outstanding works in collaboration with the Husa na provázku Theatre.

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. From the very first notes of the orchestral waltz in the *Osud* overture, we are transported into the midst of refined spa society; here, simple, natural prose gives way to the language of decadent poets, as Janáček was inspired to write the opera by a beautiful woman—twenty-eight-year-old Kamila Urválková—whom he met in August 1903 at his beloved spa resort of Luhačovice. Kamila confided in Janáček about her love affair 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.

SPH 2 – Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 7:00 PM

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION WINNERS: ALINDE QUINTET

Antonín Rejcha: Wind Quintet in F major, Op. 88 No. 6

Tomáš Borl: Wind Quintet (2025) – world premiere

Leoš Janáček: Suite from the opera *The Cunning Little Vixen* (arr. Jaroslav Pelikán)

Edvard Hagerup Grieg: Norwegian Dances (arr. David Walter)

ALINDE QUINTET (Winner of the 2024 ARD International Competition in Munich; laureate of the 2023 Carl Nielsen International Competition in Copenhagen)

(Anna Talácková – flute, Barbora Trnčíková – oboe, David Šimeček – clarinet, Kryštof Koska – French horn, Petr Sedlák – bassoon)

Emil František Burian: *Vojna* (War) – a folk play with songs and dances based on folk poetry collected by K. J. Erben

Frederic Rzewski: *Coming Together* for narrator and variable ensemble (1971/72)

Part 1: *Coming Together* (1971)
Part 2: *Attica* (1972)
Emil František Burian (1904–1957) ranks among the most remarkable Czech artists of his generation. He exemplifies the avant-garde trends of the interwar period; he was a member of the Devětsil group, collaborated with the Liberated Theatre (*Osvobozené divadlo*), and founded the DADA and D34 theatres. He distinguished himself as an original playwright, director, and composer. Notable examples of his musical-dramatic output include the experimental jazz opera *Bubu from Montparnasse* and the opera *Maryša*, which was inspired by Janáček’s *Jenůfa* (*Její pastorkyňa*).

The 1935 folk play with songs, *Vojna* (War), further demonstrates Burian’s ability to explore new forms within the musical-dramatic genre. In his pursuit of so-called "synthetic theatre," he drew upon his experience with *voiceband* (choral speech), dance, chamber ensembles, folk music, and jazz. The premiere took place in 1935 at the D35 theatre under Burian’s direction, though the work was subsequently banned during the Protectorate era. Burian revisited the piece in the 1950s, revising the instrumentation and staging a revival in 1955. *Vojna* stands as one of the most significant Czech musical projects rooted in folk poetry, placing Burian alongside composers such as Bohuslav Martinů, who were exploring similar themes during that period.

Program:

Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924): La rondine (The Swallow)

Doretta's aria "Chi il bel sogno di Doretta"

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908): The Tale of Tsar Saltan

aria to the Swan "You, Tsarevich, my savior"

Aliaksej Jaŭlampavič Turankoŭ (1886–1958): Melody for violin and piano

Nathan Milstein (1904–1992): Paganiniana for solo violin

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943): Prelude Op. 32 No. 12 in G minor

Alberto Ginastera (1916–1983): Danzas Argentinas op. 2

I. Danza del viejo boyero

George Gershwin (1898–1937): Rhapsody in Blue

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791): The Magic Flute, KV 620

Queen of the Night aria "O zittre nicht"

Tadeusz Baird (1928–1981): Cztery sonnety miłosne (Four love sonnets to the words of William Shakespeare, translated by Maciej Słomczyński)

I. Andante. Sonnet 23 "Spójrz, co tu chiche serce wypisalo"; II. Allegretto con anima. Sonnet 91 "Drwię, mając ciebie, z zachły ludzkiej pychy"; III. Andantino, con amore. Sonnet 56 "Słodka miłości"; IV. Lento, con gran' espressione. Sonnet 97 "How like winter is the break"

Janáček’s fifth opera, *The Excursions of Mr. Brouček*, opened the festival’s ninth season, which ran under the motto "Without Borders!" This same phrase aptly describes the work of director Robert Carsen, whose productions are acclaimed worldwide for their dramatic insight, poetic quality, humor, and visual sophistication. The famous director’s path first crossed with the Czech composer’s work many years ago; today, Carsen has staged six of Janáček’s operas. In 2020, he created a production of *Osud* (Destiny) for the Brno ensemble, returning four years later to embark on a journey—not only to the Moon—with Mr. Brouček. Carsen’s production offered a fresh perspective on this rarely performed opera, linking its plot to pivotal 20th-century historical events that shaped the Czech nation. The production’s broad appeal—extending well beyond the local audience—is evidenced by its nomination for the prestigious 2025 Opera Award.

None of Janáček’s operas can be classified as comic operas; while humor is never absent, it serves more as a rare seasoning. Yet, in this opera about a small-time homeowner from Prague’s Lesser Town—an archetypal "little Czech man"—Janáček positively brims with humor, albeit of a decidedly sharp variety. He drew inspiration from the popular *Brouček* novellas by poet Svatopluk Čech, complementing the satire with dance-like rhythms and the use of unusual instruments, such as the glass harmonica and bagpipes. While the first part of the opera—a trip to the Moon—aimed its biting humor at Prague’s critics, intellectuals, and artists, the second half, set in the Hussite era, struck at the unsavory traits of the Czech nation as a whole.

JOSEPH HAYDN Symphony No. 84 in E-flat Major, Hob. I:84
THOMAS ADÈS Air (Homage to Sibelius) for violin and orchestra
BENJAMIN BRITTEN Symphony for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68

Marie Petříková, violin
Julia Hagen, cello
Brno Philharmonic
Conductor Dennis Russell Davies

The solo violin in Adès’s *Air* is suffused with light, reaching towards celestial heights. The cello in Britten’s Symphony strikes a darker chord. And Symphony No. 84 by “Papa” Haydn keeps the world in balance.

Introduce students to Leoš Janáček in a fun way. Let them experience Janáček firsthand!

What is Janáček’s story? How did he live and create? Which places in Brno are linked to him, and how did his personal life shape the music he composed? This two-hour educational workshop, held on the rehearsal stage of the Janáček Theatre, guides students through the milestones of Janáček’s life and work using engaging activities.

Practical information:

Workshop designed for primary school students (grades 4–6).
Program duration: 2 hours.
Workshop fee: 2,000 CZK for up to 20 participants; an admission fee of 100 CZK applies for each additional person.
Arrival via the Janáček Theatre staff entrance.
Please ensure students wear comfortable clothing, as the program involves sitting on the floor, creative activities, etc.

Leoš Janáček: *Říkadla* (Nursery Rhymes) (1925–26) / world premiere of a new version for 1–2 voices, clarinet, and piano, arranged by Kryštof Mařatka (2025–26)

Kryštof Mařatka: *Altotem* / nocturnal archaic music for viola with piano accompaniment (Czech premiere)

Kryštof Mařatka: *Báchorky* (Folk Tales) / for viola, clarinet, piano, and an ensemble of Czech and Moravian folk instruments

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Kryštof Mařatka: *Záhada pana Rybky* (The Mystery of Mr. Rybka) / melodrama for actor and pianist based on a short story by Karel Čapek

Leoš Janáček: *Zápisník zmizelého* (The Diary of One Who Disappeared), JW V/12 / song cycle for tenor, alto, three female voices, and piano

While Janáček’s music is rooted in Moravian folk music, Kryštof Mařatka (b. 1971) draws inspiration from the ethnic music of several continents.

Kryštof Mařatka’s 2016 composition *Báchorky* (Folk Tales) is inspired by the world of folk music and its instrumentation, which the composer juxtaposes with other instruments. Featured instruments include the elder-wood pipe, chamois horn, rag-and-bone man’s whistle, nose flute, shepherd’s horn, and bone flute.

Mařatka found the inspiration for his 2015 melodrama *Záhada pana Rybky* (The Mystery of Mr. Rybka) in the short story "Šlépěje" (Footprints) by Karel Čapek, published in the collection *Povídky z jedné kapsy* (Tales from One Pocket). The text and the narrative play a pivotal role, shaping the musical setting—which, however, does not dominate but rather complements the storytelling.

This piece is part of a series of the composer's melodramas written for the same instrumentation, forming a cohesive whole with them. It was originally conceived for a single performer—an actor-pianist handling both the acting and the piano playing—though it can also be performed by two artists: an actor and a pianist. The text may be performed in various languages.

JOSEPH HAYDN Symphony No. 84 in E-flat Major, Hob. I:84
THOMAS ADÈS Air (Homage to Sibelius) for violin and orchestra
BENJAMIN BRITTEN Symphony for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68

Marie Petříková, violin
Julia Hagen, cello
Brno Philharmonic
Conductor Dennis Russell Davies

The solo violin in Adès’s *Air* is suffused with light, reaching towards celestial heights. The cello in Britten’s Symphony strikes a darker chord. And Symphony No. 84 by “Papa” Haydn keeps the world in balance.

Alfred Schnittke: String Quartet No. 3

Antonín Dvořák: Four Songs on Lyrics by Gustav Pfleger-Moravský, Op. 2, B. 124 / arranged for voice and string quartet by Tomáš Ille

Leoš Janáček: String Quartet No. 2 "Intimate Letters", JW VII/13

Antonín Dvořák: In Folk Tone, Op. 73, B. 146 / arranged for voice and string quartet by Tomáš Ille

The fundamental building blocks of Alfred Schnittke’s (1934–1998) String Quartet No. 3 (1983) are quotations from works by three different composers spanning the Renaissance to the twentieth century: Orlando di Lasso, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Dmitri Shostakovich. Drawing on fragments from Lasso’s *Stabat Mater*, quotations from Beethoven’s *Grosse Fuge* for string quartet, and the motif of Shostakovich’s musical cryptogram "DSCH," the composer created a work in which disparate musical styles and textures blend and interpenetrate, much like in our dreams.

Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904) created this four-part song cycle—based on lyrics by the poet Gustav Pfleger-Moravský—in the early 1880s by reworking songs from his earlier cycle *Cypresses* (*Cypřiše*), which he had composed in 1865, shortly before his twenty-fourth birthday. Pfleger’s sentimental poems, filled with sorrow over unrequited love, inspired the young Dvořák to create a work of poignant, Schubert-esque Romantic expression.

Leoš Janáček’s (1854–1928) String Quartet No. 2, *Intimate Letters* (for two violins, viola, and cello), was composed during the final year of the composer’s life. *Intimate Letters* serves as a musical counterpart to the extensive correspondence between Janáček and his muse, Kamila Stösslová. Janáček heard the work performed during rehearsals by the Moravian Quartet in May 1928 but did not live to see its premiere; he died unexpectedly on August 12, 1928. The first performance, intended for experts and critics, was given by the Moravian Quartet on September 7, 1928, in the Hlahol Hall of the Besední dům in Brno. The work was subsequently presented to the general public on September 11, 1928, at the theater within the Brno Exhibition Grounds, as part of the Exhibition of Contemporary Culture in Czechoslovakia.

Béla Bartók: The Wooden Prince, Op. 13, Sz. 60, BB 74 / Suite from the ballet

Leoš Janáček: Sinfonietta, JW VI/18

Igor Stravinsky: Petrushka / Burlesque scenes in four tableaux 

Leoš Janáček (1854–1928), along with the slightly younger Béla Bartók (1881–1945) and Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971), form a significant trio of 20th-century composers who responded profoundly to folk music. While each approached it in his own way, all three were influenced by folk music in their musical thinking. Janáček and Bartók engaged deeply with folk song—even theoretically—and conducted field research; for the former, folk music was a "truth of life" that shaped his melodic style, while for the latter, it became the foundation for his work with modality and rhythm. Stravinsky was captivated by folk rituals, yet he drew from folk music only what he needed at specific stages of his creative journey—primarily texts and melodies. In any case, all three composers utilized this source in highly distinctive and inventive ways.

Béla Bartók composed the work based on the story of a proud, vain princess and a wooden prince between 1914 and 1916; following his opera *Bluebeard’s Castle*, this piece continued his exploration of the differences between men and women. This time, he chose the medium of ballet; the score possesses a distinctly symphonic character and stands as a true masterpiece of orchestration. *The Wooden Prince* is characterized by an impressionistic sound palette and incorporates elements of folk melody, spirited rhythms, and inspiration from Romanian and Hungarian music. Its 1917 premiere met with great international acclaim. Bartók’s suite from the ballet was performed in 1931.

Join Leoš Janáček on a journey through Moravian forests and villages, and listen to the life and stories found there—a playful adventure in pursuit of folk melodies and the language of animals.

Luboš Fišer: *Fašank* (Shrovetide) for children’s choir and piano, set to Moravian folk poetry texts

Miloslav Kabeláč: *To Nature* (*Přírodě*). A cycle of children’s choral pieces set to folk poetry texts with piano accompaniment, Op. 35

Leoš Janáček: *Folk Nocturnes* (*Lidová nokturna*). Evening songs of the Slovak people from Rovné, JW IV/32

Bohuslav Martinů: *Špalíček*, H. 214 (selection from the version for children’s choir and piano)

Children’s singing has always been an integral part of folk customs, games, and festivals. The distinctive timbre of children’s voices inspired a number of leading 20th-century Czech composers; in the natural, unspoiled vocal expression of children, they found a fitting musical counterpart for simple folk texts.

Luboš Fišer (1935–1999) became renowned not only as a prolific film composer but also as an internationally acclaimed creator of orchestral, chamber, and vocal works. His distinctive postmodern style is unafraid to captivate the listener with Romantic—at times even intensely heightened—emotion, contrasted against simple, almost banal folk-like tunes and melodies. Such is the case with *Fašank* (Shrovetide) for children’s choir and piano—set to Moravian folk poetry texts—which was composed for the Bambini di Praga ensemble in 1982.

A concert in honor of composer Camille Saint-Saëns, marking the 190th anniversary of his death.

Conductor: Emílie Adámková

Organ: Daniel Nerad

Antonín Dvořák: Love Songs, Op. 83, B 160

Vítězslava Kaprálová: Two Songs to Lyrics by R. Bojko, Op. 4

Vítězslava Kaprálová: Farewell and a Handkerchief, Op. 14

Vítězslava Kaprálová: Sung into the Distance, Op. 22

Leoš Janáček: Moravian Folk Poetry in Songs, JW V/2 (selection)

Leoš Janáček: Fairy Tale for Cello and Piano, JW VII/5

Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Three Songs, Op. 22

Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Three Songs, Op. 18 (Nos. 2 and 3)

Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904) created *Love Songs* (to lyrics by Gustav Pfleger Moravský) in late 1888 by adapting and reworking eight songs from his early cycle *Cypresses* (1865). Dvořák’s magnificent musical setting places this cycle among the gems of Czech song literature.

The work of composer Vítězslava Kaprálová (1915–1940) reveals an intimate feminine world filled with delicate, deeply felt lyricism. In her song cycles, Kaprálová transforms the influences of Janáček, Martinů, and the avant-garde of her time in a highly distinctive way. A survey of her song output will range from the early *Songs to Words by R. Bojko* (1932) and the song *Farewell and Handkerchief* (set to a text by Vítězslav Nezval, 1937) to the late cycle *Sung into the Distance*, composed in Paris in 1939.

Program:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791): Idomeneo, K. 366

Ilia’s aria and recitative “Padre, germani, addio!”

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809–1847): Songs Without Words, Op. 67

No. 1 in E-flat major (Andante); No. 2 in F-sharp minor (Allegro leggiero); No. 3 in B-flat major (Andante tranquillo)

Klement Slavický (1910–1999): Three Pieces for Piano

3. Toccata

Robert Schumann (1810–1856): Faschingsschwank aus Wien (Carnival Scenes from Vienna), Op. 26

I. Allegro. Sehr lebhaft; II. Romanze. Ziemlich langsam; IV. Intermezzo. Mit grösster Energie

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937): Tzigane. Concert Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 76

Giorgi Makoshvili (b. 1977): Regreps for Solo Double Bass

The Opera Studio and Orchestra of the Brno Conservatory, in collaboration with the Janáček Brno 2026 festival, present a production of Bohuslav Martinů’s *The Theatre Beyond the Gate* (*Divadlo za bránou*). This "lyric opera"—featuring elements of pantomime and dance—was created as a distinctive tribute to folk roots while simultaneously engaging in an open dialogue with the modern trends of the 20th century, including jazz.

Come and see what the young generation reveals in a work that blends playfulness, rhythm, and profound lyricism. We will show you that Martinů’s music remains vibrant and full of light. With this production, we invite both the professional community and the general public to experience music that transcends genre and time, opening the gates of imagination to all who enter.

And what exactly is "the theatre beyond the gate"? In the words of Bohuslav Martinů, it is "nothing other than a stage at a market or a fair outside the town—essentially, a traveling theatre." It is theatre of the here and now, drawing energy from the street—a street that may pulse faster today than in the composer's time, yet remains a space of freedom: playful, unbridled, and open to improvisation and interaction.

Program:

Georges Bizet (1838–1875): Arlésienne Suite No. 1 (ĽArlésienneSuite 1)

Overture; Minuet; Adagietto; Carillon

Launy Grøndahl (1886–1960): Concerto for trombone and orchestra

Moderato assai ma molto maestoso; Quasi una legenda. Andante grave; Final. Maestoso - Rondo

Georges Bizet (1838–1875): Arlésienne Suite No. 2 (ĽArlésienneSuite 2)

Pastorale; Intermezzo; Minuet

George Gershwin (1898–1937): Rhapsody in Blue

The Opera Studio and Orchestra of the Brno Conservatory, in collaboration with the Janáček Brno 2026 festival, present a production of Bohuslav Martinů’s *The Theatre Beyond the Gate* (*Divadlo za bránou*). This "lyric opera"—featuring elements of pantomime and dance—was created as a distinctive tribute to folk roots while simultaneously engaging in an open dialogue with the modern trends of the 20th century, including jazz.

Come and see what the young generation reveals in a work that blends playfulness, rhythm, and profound lyricism. We will show you that Martinů’s music remains vibrant and full of light. With this production, we invite both the professional community and the general public to experience music that transcends genre and time, opening the gates of imagination to all who enter.

And what exactly is "the theatre beyond the gate"? In the words of Bohuslav Martinů, it is "nothing other than a stage at a market or a fair outside the town—essentially, a traveling theatre." It is theatre of the here and now, drawing energy from the street—a street that may pulse faster today than in the composer's time, yet remains a space of freedom: playful, unbridled, and open to improvisation and interaction.

Béla Bartók: Dance Suite, Sz. 77, BB 86a

Gustav Mahler: Songs of a Wayfarer

Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dances (selection)

The six-movement *Dance Suite* is among the most popular orchestral works by the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók (1881–1945), a contemporary of Leoš Janáček. He composed it in 1923 to mark the 50th anniversary of the unification of the cities of Buda, Óbuda, and Pest, which created the Hungarian capital, Budapest. With its striking, vigorous music, colorful orchestration, and incorporation of Hungarian, Romanian, and even Arab folk motifs, the work captivated audiences at its premiere and soon found its way into the repertoires of orchestras worldwide.

Gustav Mahler (1860–1911) was inspired to compose *Songs of a Wayfarer* (*Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen*) by his unhappy love for the soprano Johanna Richter. Written around the turn of 1884–1885, the lyrics were penned by the composer himself in the spirit of the German folk songs he knew from the collection *Des Knaben Wunderhorn* (The Youth's Magic Horn). This cycle of four songs for baritone and orchestra became Mahler’s first masterpiece; in it, poignant tragedy is expressed through a quintessentially Mahlerian late-Romantic musical language, interwoven with moments of undisguised irony and echoes of nature, naive children's lullabies, and the raw sounds of rustic village bands. The two sets of *Hungarian Dances* by Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)—comprising a total of 21 dance pieces—served as a cornerstone in the composer's rise to worldwide fame. In creating them, Brahms drew inspiration not only from Hungarian folk music but also from the music of Gypsy bands. The first ten dances were published in a piano version in 1869, with the remainder following eleven years later. The work's widespread success prompted Brahms to orchestrate three selected dances in 1873; over time, the remaining dances were also given orchestral arrangements by his successors, including Antonín Dvořák.

Tomás Luis de Victoria: Asperges me, Domine and 4
Choral introitus Terribilis est locus
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Missa Assumpta est Maria a 6 – Kyrie, Gloria
Orlando di Lasso: Meditabor in mandatis tuis a 4
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Missa Assumpta est Maria a 6 – Credo
Tomás Luis de Victoria: Vexilla regis prodeunt and 6 alternatim
Jacobus Handl Gallus: Ecce quomodo moritur iustus and 4
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Missa Assumpta est Maria a 6 – Sanctus
Jacobus Handl Gallus: Pater noster and 8
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Missa Assumpta est Maria a 6 – Agnus Dei
Giovanni Croce: Domus mea a 4 (communio)
Tomás Luis de Victoria: O quam gloriosum and 4

An experiential workshop on the music and legacy of Leoš Janáček for children and parents.

What was the story and musical world of Leoš Janáček like?

In this workshop, we will trace the path of Janáček’s life, explore how his personal experiences influenced his music, and discover his work and sources of inspiration through creative, interactive activities.

The workshop is suitable for children in primary school (ages approx. 6–11).

The workshop takes place on the rehearsal stage of the Janáček Theatre; please enter via the staff entrance, where the instructor will meet participants at the reception desk.

Duration: approx. 2 hours
Price: 200 CZK per child + 1 accompanying adult free of charge
Capacity: 20 participants

Winner of the 31st Leoš Janáček International Competition in Brno (String Quartet category).

Leoš Janáček: String Quartet No. 1 ("The Kreutzer Sonata"), JW VII/8

Dmitri Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110

Béla Bartók: String Quartet No. 4 in C major, Sz. 91, BB 95

Leoš Janáček’s (1854–1928) String Quartet No. 1, inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s *The Kreutzer Sonata*, dates from 1923. However, its roots go back to 1908, when Janáček composed a Piano Trio—now lost—inspired by the same Tolstoy novella. The story’s protagonist is a woman terrorized by her despotic and pathologically jealous husband, at whose hands she is ultimately tormented to death. "I had in mind a poor woman, tormented, beaten, beaten to death," said Janáček, describing the motif that runs like a common thread through many of his other works. With its passionate expression, the quartet penetrates to the very core of human emotion and into the most intimate realms of the human soul. The work achieved success soon after its 1924 premiere and, even after more than a century, remains one of the most compelling works in the string quartet genre.