Performance of Dvořák’s Saint Ludmila Oratorio Simulcast at Bohemian National Hall
On September 15th, the Dvořák American Heritage Association joined in celebrating the centennial of the founding of Czechoslovakia with a special simulcast of the Dvořák Prague International Music Festival 2018 and its gala performance of the rarely heard oratorio Saint Ludmila by Antonín Dvořák, as it was broadcast live from Prague on Czech TV. Good news for those who were unable to attend: the performance may be viewed until March 15, 2019 here. Program notes by David Beveridge available here.
The concert took place in the Dvořák Hall of the historic Rudolfinum, where the Czech Philharmonic and Prague Philharmonic Choir, under the direction of Jakub Hrůša, was joined by a stellar cast of Czech and Slovak singers, including soprano Kateřina Kněžíková. It was further amplified by a choir of 250 singers on an outdoor stage in the Jan Palach Plaza in front of the Rudolfinum. Dvořák's composition is based on the story of Saint Ludmila, the revered Bohemian saint; it was commissioned in 1885 for the Leeds Festival in England, and premiered there under Dvořák's direction in October 1886.
The Dvoŕák Prague International Music Festival, established in 2008, is a preeminent annual music festival highlighting the works of world-famous Czech composer Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) and featuring leading international vocal, instrumental, and orchestral performances. This was the first US broadcast of a Dvořák Prague Festival event. For more information visit: www.dvorakovapraha.cz.
Courtesy of the Dvořák Prague Festival, Czech Television (CY) and Dvořák American Heritage Association. Presented in collaboration with Consulate General of the Czech Republic. Supported by Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association
