NdB August: Ballet NdB to Honor Choreographer Šmok

The National Theatre of Brno has a regular schedule with many outdoor performances for fans of opera and ballet. Here are some of the highlights from the month ahead. Photo Credit: Ctibor Bachraty.

Brno, Aug 13 (BD) – Ballet NdB will honor the iconic Czech choreographer Pavel Šmok with its premiere Stabat Mater in Mahen Theatre this September.

The three-part performance is a tribute to the longtime artistic force. Šmok, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 88, was a choreographer and dancer, who also wrote and produced ballet performances. He acted in theatre and film, and he taught and influenced many generations of creative people. He has performed about 100 ballets, including 60 world premieres, and mostly to the music of Czech composers.

The first part of the tribute performance is Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), by Arnold Schoenberg and based on a poem by Richard Dehmel. Bedřich Smetana, Trio in G Minor, is the second part. And the highlight is the title piece for the evening: Stabat Mater. The music, by Antonin Dvořák, provides the basis for one of Šmok’s most acclaimed works.

The premiere will be on September 3rd at the Mahen Theatre, with additional performances on September 4th, 5th, and 11th, and October 4th. For more information, click here.

Note that there are still safeguards in place to protect against the transmission of COVID-19. Please check the NdB website for more information here.

Also, the summer is not over. There are still outdoor performances in the Bishop’s Courtyard. Click here for the schedule. Additionally, the traditional opera summer season still has performances in the unique atmosphere of Špilberk Castle. Click here to see the schedule.