The Czech Chamber Soloist – as first ensemble from Brno conquered South America
On 21st September twelve members of The Czech Chamber Soloists under the leadership of Ivan Matyáš returned home from a successful three week tour of South America. The ensemble performed in sold-out concert halls in three South American countries, in many cases the capacity of the venues was more than 1200 seats.
The Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno in France
The Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno continued his successful cooperation with Orchestre National de Lorraine. The Czech artists appeared within 19. – 28. August under the button of two remarkable conductors (Jacques Mercier, Pierre Cao) at four concerts at two prestigious French international festivals Rencontres Musicales de Vézelay and La Chaise – Dieu. The Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis as well as Prokofiev’s composition Alexander Něvsky received after each concert a standing ovation. The French concert goers also evaluated with a storming applause the composition Gratia Musa Tibi by Petr Fiala (choirmaster of the Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno) which he conducted in person.
The Wallinger String Quartet performed at Varna Summer International Music Festival
On July 25th the Wallinger Quartet contributed to the rich programme of the traditional Varna Summer festival / Bulgaria, founded on 1926/ with a concert playing pieces by L.Janáček, F.Schubert and A.Borodin.
ARS/KONCERT young artists starring at the Les Flaneries Musicales de Reims festival in France
Several young artists from our roster have been invited this summer to the 18th Les Flaneries Musicales de Reims Beginning July performed in Reims Kateřina Englichová and Vilém Veverka – duo harp and oboe. In the second half of July took place recital of violinist Sophia Jaffé with pianist Bjorn Lehmann. And the successful mission of our young artists in Reims was closed by the Puella Trio concert in beginning August.
The Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno wins twice.
The Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno is starring among the top international artists at the prestigious German annual award ECHO KLASSIK 2007. From 3000 competed recordings the Choir has been awarded in two categories in the same time. Firstly „Ensemble of the year 2007“ for the recording of Motets by Anton Bruckner and secondly „Recording of the year 2007“ for the recording of oratorio Christus by Franz Liszt in cooperation with Beethoven Orchester Bonn. ECHO Klassik prize is awarded since 1992 by a Cultural council of German Gramophone Company „Deutsche Phono-Akademie“. The jury consists of important people acting in the field of culture and media, ZDF music editors and members of Phono-Akademie. This year prizes were awarded in 21 categories to such distinguished artists of the music world such as Mariss Jansons, Anna Netrebko or Berliner Philharmoniker. The Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno is very proud and honoured to rank to these glamorous stars.
The prizes ECHO Klassik will be awarded at the ZDF life broadcasted gala evening at Munich Gasteig on October 21st 2007.
Sophia Jaffé performed at the Central European Music Festival in Žilina, Slovakia
Sophia Jaffé, the last year winner of the Music Critic’s Prize and the Audience Prize, returned to the Žilina festival to perform the opening concert. She played Tchaikovsky concerto under the button of the Lithuanian conductor Maestro Modestas Pitrenas.
Wallinger Quartet in Bosna
Wallinger Quartet performed in March in Bosnia and Herzegovina: three concerts took place in Mostar, Sarajevo (Sarajevskaja zima) and Tuzla.
Martin Bárta and Vratislav Kříž at the Wiener Festwochen
Baritone Martina Bárta and Vratislav Kříž perform under the baton of Pierre Boulez in Janáček’s opera From the House of the Death in Theater an der Wien. The staging is realized in the co production between Wiener Festwochen, Holland Festival and Festival d’Aix-en-Provence. Next performances in Amsterdam and Aix are schedule for May, June and July 2007. Stage director is Patrice Chéreau. Orchestra and choir: Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Arnold Schoenberg Chor.
PUELLA TRIO won the third prize at the Charles Hennen Concours in Netherlands.
Puella trio archieved another important international succes – third prize at the Charles Hennen Concours in Netherlands. It was in fact the best trio, as the 1st and 2nd prize in this category the winners were string quartets.
Slovak Philharmonic with conductor Charles Olivieri -Munroe in Portugal.
Slovak Philharmonic with conductor Charles Olivieri-Munore appeared at the international music festival DIAS DA MUSICA EM BELEM in Portuguese capital Lisboa. This year the festival was focused on piano, pianists, piano compositions and concertos of various music genres. The monumental cultural complex Centro cultural de Belem hosted 66 concerts with more than 300 artists from all over the world during that one weekend (April 21st and 22nd). Slovak philharmonic appeared at four concerts with renowned pianists Eldar Nebolsin, Alexander Gavrylyuk, Filipe Pinto-Ribeiro and Ferenc Vizzi. None of the seats in Grande Auditório (2200 seats) left empty and the artists received after each concert the storm of spontaneous applause.
Simona Houda-Šaturová with BBC Philharmonic in Bratislava
An extraordinary concert of BBC Philharmonic took place in the building of Bratislava’s Reduta on Friday 20th April 2007. The concert has been organized during a European tour of BBC Philharmonic. A soloist of this evening was a Slovak soprano Simona Houda-Šaturová who performed two Mozart’s concert arias Misera, dove son! … Ah! Non son‘ io che parlo KV 369 and Fra cento affanni KV 88 and was awarded by an enthusiastic applause of the Slovak audience. The concert was conducted by a chief conductor of BBC Philharmonic Gianandrea Noseda.
The Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno performed in France – Rennes.
The Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno continued his cooperation with the Orchestre de Bretagne in French city of Rennes. On 19th and 20th April the choir participated with two pieces - Meerestille und Gluckliche Fahrt and Mass in C major – in the Beethoven Marathon. The concerts under the button of Maestro Olari Elts, and with Czech and Slovak soloists Hana Škarková, Karla Bytnarová, Tomáš Černý and Gustáv Beláček were a great success.
The E. W. Korngold violin concerto was premiered in Armenia by Czech artists
On 6th April 2007 the audience in the Aram Khachaturian concert hall in Yerevan had a chance to hear for the first time E. W. Korngold´s violin concerto. The premiere of this nice piece of the Brno born “Oscar composer” Korngold was made possible due to the cooperation of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech conductor Maestro Leoš Svárovský, violinist František Novotný and ARS/KONCERT agency.
Jan Vacík with paunch, bowler hat and walking-stick was a star of The Barbican Hall
Great success was the concert performance of The Excursions of Mr. Broucek for soloists Jan Vacík, Maria Haan a Václav Sibera on 25th February 2007 in the Barbican Hall in London. The chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra Jiří Bělohlávek invited Czech soloist to perform rarely produced Janáček’s piece. The title role of Mr. Broucek was sung and played by Czech tenor Jan Vacík, who performed this role in the last production of the Excursions of Mr. Broucek in the National Theatre Prague under Sir Charles Mackerras. The main soprano roles Málinka-Etherea-Kunka was performed by soloist of the National Theatre Prague Maria Haan. In the roles of Básník, Oblačný and Vacek Bradatý appeared budding Czech baritone Václav Sibera.
The Czech Philharmonic Chorus of Brno in Brusel
The Czech Philharmonic Chorus of Brno represented the Czech Republic on the occasion of the 50th celebration of the Treaties of Rome, the basic contract of the European Union in 1957. With the participation of the Queens of Belgium and the Netherlands, the Duke of Luxemburg, the President of the European Commission J. M. D. Barrosa and other well-known political personalities as well as honour guests, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony "Ode of Joy" was given by the Choir and Orchestre de Luxembourg from the stand of conductor Emmanuel Krivine, on Saturday , March 25th, in the Brussels Palais de Beaux Arts, with a live TV transmission to 24 countries. The concert culminated in a frenzied applause.
The Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno reinvited to Luxemburg
The Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno participated on December the 10th 2006 in opening concert of the season “Luxemburg – European City of Culture” with Ivo Malec composition Epistola. The concert was performed with Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg and under the button of orchestra’s chief conductor Emmanuel Krivin.
The Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno at the New Year’s concert in Stuttgart
The Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno appeared at the New Year’s concert at Stuttgart Liederhalle with Thomas Tallis motet Spem in alium (a cappella). The concert was prepared and conducted by the Stutgartt Philharmonic chief conductor Gabriel Feltz.
Idomeneo at the National Theatre in Brno
Caspar Richter and Aleš Voráček give guest performances at the National Theatre in Brno in Mozart’s Idomeneo. The premiere of Idomeneo took place on 24th November 2006 in Mahen Theatre in Brno.
Concert performance of Così fan tutte with Jiří Bělohlávek
Two concert performances of Mozart’s opera buffa Così fan tutte took place on 26th November in Prague Rudolfinum and on 2nd December 2006 in Palau de Valencia in Spain.
New CD of the Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno
In October was released new CD of the Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno with the complete recording of sacred Motets by Anton Bruckner. The Cd was recorded in January 2006 in Brno by the German company Dabringhaus und Grimm. In case you are interested to have the CD please contact ARS/KONCERT.
