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Dvořák Prague Festival 2023 | Aria from Mirandolina
Monday 18 September 2023, 8.00 pm
Dvořák Hall, Rudolfinum, Prague, CZ
Bohuslav MARTINŮ: Mirandolina, H 346 – Saltarello
Bohuslav MARTINŮ: Mirandolina, H 346 – Mirandolina’s aria
Karel KOVAŘOVIC: The Dogheads – Lomikar’s aria
Zdeněk FIBICH: Šárka – Šárka’s aria “Vše ticho kolem”
Vítězslav NOVÁK: Karlštejn – aria of Charles IV “Je-li nutno, pane Vévodo”
Leoš JANÁČEK: Jenůfa – Jenůfa’s scene “Mamičko, mám těžkou hlavu”
Leoš JANÁČEK: The Cunning Little Vixen – the Forester’s scene “Neříkal jsem to”
Bedřich SMETANA: The Secret – overture
Bedřich SMETANA: The Secret – Kalina’s aria “Jsem žebrák”
Bedřich SMETANA: The Bartered Bride – Mařenka’s aria “Ach, jaký žal”
Bedřich SMETANA: The Devil’s Wall – Vok’s aria “Jen jediná”
Vilém BLODEK: In the Well – Intermezzo
Antonín DVOŘÁK: Armida, op. 115 – Armida’s aria “Za štíhlou gazelou”
Antonín DVOŘÁK: The Jacobin, op. 84 – duet of Julie and Bohuš “My cizinou jsme bloudili”
Only through singing can we find solace, as embodied in The Jacobin, Antonín Dvořák’s opera in which he fused Czech culture with his love of music: on returning to their homeland, the main characters, husband and wife Bohuš and Julie, use their singing talents as evidence of their Czechness.
In this vein, real-world married couple Kateřina Kněžíková and Adam Plachetka will bring Dvořák’s vision to life in a series of arias from Czech operas. They both have extensive experience on stages both in this country and abroad, including the renowned festival in Glyndebourne in the UK and the Metropolitan Opera in the US. This time, they have picked arias from the Czech repertoire, including lesser-played pieces. We will hear the infamous Lamminger from Psohlavci (The Dogheads) composed by Karel Kovařovic, the mythological figure of Šárka – composer Zdeněk Fibich’s heroine from The Maidens’ War, and Dvořák’s passionate enchantress Armida. The “greatest Czech” Charles IV will also feature in an aria from the opera based on the play A Night at Karlstein. All of this will be complemented by the timeless operas of Bedřich Smetana and Leoš Janáček, culminating with Dvořák’s tribute to Czech musicality.
National Theatre Orchestra
Robert Jindra (conductor)
Kateřina Kněžíková (soprano)
Adam Plachetka (baritone)
More information: https://www.dvorakovapraha.cz/en/programme/detail/national-theatre-orchestra-r-jindra-k-knezikova-a-plachetka/
