Photo: The Diary of One Who Disappeared (Zápisník zmizelého). Credit: Marek Olbrzymek, via Leos Janacek Flickr.
Brno, Jan. 18 (BD) – Though the program of the seventh Janáček Brno festival was significantly disrupted by restrictions against the spread of the coronavirus last fall, the legacy of the Brno composer will continue to grow this spring as part of the 49th prestigious international Hong Kong Arts Festival 2021.
Leoš Janáček, who lived in Brno and used Moravia for inspiration, is one of the most popular composers in the world.
Due to the pandemic, National Theatre of Brno will be represented at the HK Arts Festival by two Janáček productions, which were created in collaboration with Czech Television — Jenůfa (Její pastorkyňa) on March 11 at 7:30 p.m. and The Cunning Little Vixen (Příhody lišky Bystroušky) on March 13 at 7:30 p.m. — and several other performances from the Janáček Brno 2020 festival, including a stunning piano recital by Jan Bartoš and a moving performance by the Pavel Haas Quartet. See below for the complete NdB-related schedule.
The HK Arts Festival website is at the following URL: https://www.hk.artsfestival.org/
Each of the recordings of the productions and concerts will be available for spectators for 3 days.
The NdB performed Janáček’s “The Makropulos Affair” in 2017 at the Hong Kong Arts Festival.
“If the first invitation to the HKAF was a huge success for the NdB, a return to such a prestigious event after just three years confirms the theatre’s growing artistic qualities in a global context,” said Martin Glaser, CEO of NdB. “I am proud that we can be there. It is more proof that our productions will stand up not only live, but also in a virtual environment.”
The Brno program at the HK Arts Festival includes the following (all times CET):
March 11 (7:30 p.m.) to March 14 (7:29 p.m.), 2021 — L. Janáček: Jenůfa (Její pastorkyňa) (Czech TV recording)
March 12 (8 p.m.) to March 15 (7:59 p.m.), 2021 — L. Janáček: The Diary of One Who Disappeared (Zápisník zmizelého) (recording of a concert from the Janáček Brno 2020 festival, soloists Pavol Breslik, Štěpánka Pučálková, piano Robert Pechanec)
March 13 (7:30 p.m.) to March 16 (7:29 p.m.), 2021 — L. Janáček: The Cunning Little Vixen (Příhody lišky Bystroušky) (Czech Television recording)
March 14 (3 p.m.) to March 17 (2:29 p.m.), 2021 — Arnold Schoenberg Choir (recording of a concert from the Janáček Brno 2020 festival).
March 15 (8 p.m.) to March 18 (7:59 p.m.), 2021 — Piano recital by Jan Bartoš (recording of a concert from the Janáček Brno 2020 festival).
March 16 (8 p.m.) to March 19 (7:59 p.m.), 2021 — Pavel Haas Quartet (recording of a concert from the Janáček Brno 2020 festival).
Janáček Brno 2022
Last year’s Janáček Brno festival, which lasted from Sept. 28 to Oct. 16, was able to stage 18 live events and entertain a significant audience, but many of the large productions had to be canceled or moved online. In addition to inclusion in the Hong Kong Arts Festival, many of the postponed performances have been rescheduled to take place this year as a bridge to the eighth installment of the biennial event
Janáček Brno 2022, which will take place from Nov. 2 to 19, 2022, will open for pre-sale on Nov. 30, 2021. Detailed information about the festival is available at https://janacek-brno.cz/en/.
The list of productions of the Janáček Brno festival that have been moved to 2021 are as follows:
May 27, 2021, 7 p.m. — Church songs from Znorov – folklore concert, Red Church
May 29, 2021, 7 p.m. — Brno Children’s Choir, Reduta Theatre
Nov. 13, 2021, 7 p.m. — Recital by Tomáš Král and Matan Porat in the Tugendhat Villa
Nov. 20, 2021, 7 p.m. — Concert of the Prague Philharmonic Choir, Besední dům
Nov. 30, 2021, 7 p.m. — Recital by Pavol Breslik and Róbert Pechance, Reduta Theater
For the main Janáček Brno festival site, in English, go to https://janacek-brno.cz/en/.
