What would Czech politics sound like if music were to speak instead of words? The Brno Contemporary Orchestra invites you to the final concert of the AUSCULTATION series entitled FONIO, to take place on the terrace of Villa Stiassni. Five presidents, five letters, fifty years - and five songs that evoke the atmosphere of each era rather than a direct commentary. The soloist of the evening will be Stanislav Vacek (viola) and the Brno Contemporary Orchestra will be led by conductor Pavel Šnajdr.
"The initial impulse came from a crossword puzzle. The question was: The current president in five letters. The answer was simple, but at that moment I realised that not only Petr Pavel, but also Husák, Havel, Klaus and Zeman could fit into five letters. And suddenly the idea came - five presidents, five letters, fifty years, five different eras, five different musical voices," says the orchestra's dramaturg Viktor Pantůček. "Music in this case is not an illustration or a parody, but a kind of testimony to the times. We didn't choose the pieces by their title, but with respect to their sound, even if it was at an abstract level, and somewhat with respect to the time they were written."
The concert will offer a remarkably balanced programme with some striking contrasts. The composition Es ist genug for viola and chamber ensemble by Soviet avant-gardist Edison Denisov evokes the suffocating enclosed feel of the Husák era. The optimism of the 1990s is represented by American composer Julia Wolfe with her work Arsenal of Democracy, referring to the ideals and absurdity of the Western world. Stormy emotions and sonic overload will be served up in Amok / Koma by Italian Fausto Romitelli. The ironic distance and conceptual view is represented by the work General Bass by the legendary Mauricio Kagel, and the evening ends with the disturbingly systematic Forced March by American composer David Lang. The concert is planned for 28 May 2025 at 7:00 p.m. on the terrace of Villa Stiassni.
The FONIO concert closes this year's season of the AUSCULTATION series, whose individual evenings thematise different aspects of listening - body, space, voice and senses. This last concert focuses on voice: what it can mean, what it sounds like when silent, and how music can replace it.
"The voice is not just a physiological phenomenon. It's our mirror, our form representation and our weapon. And this is what makes it a fascinating subject for musical and dramaturgical interpretation. We're not trying to moralise or analyse, but just listen to what resonates, even if very secretly and quietly." adds Pantůček.
The musical evening will take place on the terrace of Villa Stiassni - a former government villa and therefore a memorable place of state representation and diplomatic protocol. The FONIO concert is not only a musical event, but also an invitation to reflect - without pathos, but with an open-minded approach to listening and thinking. The villa and café will be open from 18.00 and original raffle tickets will also be available for purchase.
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