Leoš Janáček, Brno’s most famous composer, would have celebrated his 171st birthday this year. And because even small anniversaries are worth celebrating, the Brno National Theatre (NdB) is preparing a birthday party next Thursday, 3 July, on the piazzetta in front of the Janáček Theatre, culminating in an open-air screening of the opera ‘The Adventures of the Cunning Little Fox’.
TIC BRNO’s ‘Janáček Brno’ project aims to promote the composer and his legacy through a range of events and educational initiatives. Šárka Zahrádková, the project’s manager, says it aims to raise awareness of Janáček not only as a composer, but also as a person and an important icon of the city of Brno.
“We want people to perceive Janáček’s personality and his connection with Brno in a broader context,” she said. “This is also related to our close cooperation with NdB as the organizer of the Janáček Brno festival, which includes our accompanying ‘non-musical’ activities, and this year’s Janáček birthday celebration.”
A rich program will take place on the piazzetta in front of the Janáček Theatre throughout the afternoon and into the evening, starting at 3pm. The afternoon will be dedicated to a family game with the Cunning Fox, followed by an early evening performance by the Trio Aperto ensemble and cellist Josef Klíč, which can be enjoyed in a comfortable deckchair with a summer cocktail.
As part of the Janáček Brno project and the summer AutenTIC tours, TIC BRNO has prepared a birthday walk from the Janáček Theatre through the centre of Brno to the Leoš Janáček Memorial, which will be open to the public free of charge from 9 am to 6 pm on the anniversary day.
After a birthday greeting with a cake made according to a recipe from the cookbook of Janáček’s housekeeper Mára, the culmination of the celebration from 8 pm will be the screening of a recording of the opera ‘The Adventures of the Cunning Fox’, from the Glyndebourne Opera Festival.
A collection of Janáček souvenirs will be on sale during the party, including a stylish graphic tattoo by artist Vendula Chalánková. You can pose for a picture with Janáček in the birthday photo corner, and every full hour from 11am to 11pm, a musical glass ball will fall from the astronomical clock on Náměstí Svobody.
The program on the piazzetta is free. The event will only take place in favorable weather.
For the full program and more information about the Janacek 171 celebrations, see the website.
