::::: Virtual tour :::FESTIVALS

International Opera Festival Smetana´s Litomyšl

After the Prague Spring, Smetana‘s Litomyšl International Opera Festival is the oldest music festival in Czech Republic (founded in 1949) and the largest open-air classical music festival in our country. It takes place every year between June and July directly in the birthplace of composer Bedřich Smetana - the Litomyšl castle. Various dramaturgy, included apart from opera performances also concerts, oratorios, cantatas and song evenings attract every year 13 thousand visitors who are charmed by the great acoustics on the IInd courtyard and unrepeatable atmosphere of garden amphitheatre.

The festival is organised by the City of Litomyšl by the way of endowment Smetanova Litomyšl established by the City of Litomyšl in cooperation with the Pardubice Region, the Ministry of Culture of Czech Republic and Office for the preservation of historical monuments Pardubice.

web: www.smetanovalitomysl.cz

Young Smetana´s Litomyšl

The Jenuesses Musicales Czech Republic organise a festival of classical and contemporary classical music of young interprets for the young public. The membership is not a condition of taking part.
The program is situed almost in every available concert and theatre areas in the city - Smetana´s house, castle, church, castle brewery, monastery gardens…
The traditional peak of the festival is always Jiřinkový ples (ball in etnocostumes).

web: www.hudebnimladez.cz

International String Master Class

During the holiday, in Litomyšl you can find classes with professor Milan Vítek. They are destined for the conservatory and university students. The results of the intensive work of students playing the violin are concluded by a series of public concerts.

Milan Vitek has been since 1974 professor of violin at Danish Royal Orchestra in Copenhagen and since 1992 a guest professor at the Music Academy in Gothenburg. Since August 2001 he is regular Professor of violin at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio in USA. Czech public knows him also as conductor who guests regularly especially with the Symphonic orchestra of Czech radio.

web: www.litomysl.cz/violin

Toulovec´s holiday Fridays

The aim of fairy tale marathon and folklore concerts which take place very Friday on holiday is to make Litomyšl during holiday come alive and to give a present to the inhabitants of the city and the holiday visitors in the form of kindly spent evening. The main characteristics of Toulovec´s holiday Fridays is regularity - every Friday, the same time (at 6.00 pm the fairy tale, at .30 pm the band) on the same place. This place is Toulovec square or so called Špitálek (Hospital). Formerly there was a hospital. A wealthy citizen of Litomyšl Vavřinec Toulovec z Třemošné bequeathed a big annual pay to the hospital and it became a foundation of great manor of city Litomyšl. Toulovec is surrounded by legends - he changed from holy citizen to the marauding knight according to folk-tales. According to the legend, he makes campaigns for spoils and he hide himself in rocks near Budislav - in Toulovcovy maštale because of perusers. Can you image more mysterious coulisse for the theatre performances and bands?
In the case of bad weather, the performances take place in Music club Kotelna.
For all the actions, the entrance fee is optional and the whole gain is sent to account of Foundation of development of citizens´association Pomozte dětem! (Help the Children!)

web: www.litomysl.cz

International interpretation courses and Meeting of friends of chamber music

35th year of International interpretation courses and Meeting of friends of chamber music is a possibility for students and graduates of all the types of art schools and advanced amateurs to meet famous Czech and foreign pedagogues and interpreters. Possibility of individual teaching of piano, viola, violoncello, contrabass, flute playing and chamber playing, orchestra. Around 150 participants, 11 - 13 lectors.
The part of this long time project is also a cycle of 10 evening chamber concerts in Congress Hall in the castle and in the Church of the Raising of the Holy Cross for all the interested people from Litomyšl and its surroundings.

web: www.chs-pratele.ic.cz