The Easter Festival of Sacred Music returns to Brno from 10 to 24 April after three years. This year’s program features some of the most interesting projects from the previous cancelled editions in new locations. Photo credit: Filharmonie Brno
Brno, March 28 (BD) – After a two-year break due to the pandemic, the Easter Festival of Sacred Music will take place again this year. Its 29th edition is subtitled “Body / Incarnation / Glorification”.
“Last year marked the 30th anniversary of the festival,” said festival dramaturge Vladimír Maňas. “As a number of unique projects and premieres were created for the two years that did not take place, this year’s event represents a symbolic fusion of these programs. The original emblems of the body – the martyred and the glorified – have thus become even more relevant.”
As always, the festival begins on Palm Sunday and ends two weeks later, running this year, from 10 to 24 April. “We will offer six concerts in four venues, and as traditionally we will also offer three dark hours at the Jesuits’ church. This year for the first time we will also hold one of the concerts in the new church in Lesná,” said Marie Kučerová, director of the Filharmonie Brno. She added that the opening concert will be broadcast live by Czech Radio Vltava, which will also record Martin Opršál’s concert with the world premiere of a composition for 70 percussion instruments.
On Monday, the festival will move from Minoritská to Lesná, where Pavel Zlámal will perform the Czech premiere of “Meditation for clarinet solo” by the Icelandic composer Atli Heimir Sveinsson. “The piece makes extreme demands on the performer, both in detail and in its entirety,” said Zlámal of the approximately 80-minute piece. His performance will be the first festival concert in this space. “It is beautiful, but acoustically somewhat problematic, especially because of the vaulted ceiling. Pavel and I carefully evaluated on site whether we could perform this work there because of the long reverberation and we agreed that we could,” noted co-dramaturge Ondřej Múčka.
On Tuesday, the audience can look forward to a concert by Filharmonie Brno under the direction of chief conductor Dennis Russell Davies. “Here, too, the acoustics were addressed. The work is tailor-made for the cathedral to turn its possible shortcomings into strengths. Toivo visited the site, and then we worked out various details over the phone, with me walking through the cathedral and singing to see what sounds where,” said Maňas.
The final concert on Sunday will feature the star countertenor Andreas Scholl with soloists and the Czech Baroque Ensemble. “Bach is included at the express request of Andreas Scholl. He wanted to present his performance in which he emphasises hope in new life, hope in what comes after earthly death,” said Kučerová.
The greatest interest is in this final concert. “We recommend not waiting for long, as places are disappearing very quickly. The Jaklin Organ Concert of Praise is close behind,” said festival manager Lucie Šnajdrová.
Those interested can find the complete programme on the website, as well as the possibility to buy tickets.
