December 2003

Vocal sensation


Photo: Archiv

In mid-December, the Metropolitan Opera soloist and one of the greatest artists of the 21st century, Denyce Graves will perform at a concert in the State Opera House. Her performance will be the first of a three-year cycle of concerts called, somewhat pedantically, “Metropolitan Opera Stars at the Prague State Opera House”. This 37-year-old singer is especially well-known for her leading roles in the operas Carmen and Samson and Delilah, which brought her to such glorious stages as the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Vienna State Opera House, and the Royal Opera in Covent Garden in London. She sings regularly with Placido Domingo and José Cura, and works alongside leading conductors like Zubin Mehta, Lorin Mazel, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Kurt Masur.

Denyce Graves
Státní opera Praha, December 12 at 19:00, tickets CZK 500-2990

Theater
4. 12. – Perfect Days – II. premiere, Divadlo Na zábradlí 19:00
5. 12. – Orestes – last performance, Stavovské divadlo 18:00
5.-7. 12. – J. Dušek: Caveman – one-man show, Klub Lávka 20:00
6. 12. – Divadelní společnost Petra Bezruče: Idiot – festival Czech Theater 2003-4, Švandovo divadlo 19:00
7. 12. – Nahniličko, Divadlo Kalich 20:00
8. 12. – Divadlo Vizita: Oslava květu, Divadlo Archa 20:00
9. 12. – Like One Family, Divadlo Kalich 19:00
10. 12. – Divadlo Vizita: Ochranná Julie, Divadlo Archa 20:00
10.-11. 12. – Orphaned West, Činoherní klub 19:30
11. 12. – Square of Heroes, Divadlo Na zábradlí 19:00
12. 12. – Stísněná 22 – last performance, Stavovské divadlo 19:00
13. 12. – Poručík z Inishmoru – premiere, Švandovo divadlo 19:00
14. 12. – Uncle Vanya, Divadlo Na zábradlí 19:00
15. 12. – Chat – before premiere, Divadlo Archa 20:00
16. 12. – Puppet Theater Bóbita: Nutcracker, Švandovo divadlo 19:00
17. 12. – Cats Have Seven Lives, A Studio Rubín 19:30
18. 12. – Divadlo Příbram: Hrdý Budžes, Divadlo Bez zábradlí 19:00
18.-19. 12. – Last Message – I. & II. premiere, Divadlo Na zábradlí 19:00
19. 12. – Tartuffe, Švandovo divadlo 11:00 a 19:00
20. 12. – Sex noci svatojánské, Činoherní klub 19:30
21. 12. – Divadlo Alfa v Plzni: A Star Raised Above Bethlehem – festival Czech Theater 2003-4, Švandovo divadlo 19:00
22. 12. – Marriage, Švandovo divadlo 19:00
25. 12. – Love, Divadlo Bez zábradlí 16:00 a 19:00
26. 12. – It Was a Bird! Divadlo Bez zábradlí 19:00
27. 12. – Same Time Next Year, Divadlo Bez zábradlí 19:00
29.-30. 12. – Anthem – Studio Láďa, Divadlo Na zábradlí 19:00
30. 12. – Fool for Dinner, Divadlo Bez zábradlí 19:00
31. 12. – Where Were You Last Night? Divadlo Bez zábradlí 14:00, 17:00

Opera
14. 12. – Blažena and Beneš – II. premiere, Státní opera 16:00
25. 12. – La Nozze di Figaro – Stavovské divadlo 14:00 and 19:00
27. 12. – Výlety pana Broučka – Národní divadlo 19:00
30. 12. – Die Fleidermaus – operetta, Státní opera 19:00

Dance

5. 12. – After reconstruction – before premiere, Divadlo Archa 20:00
6. 12. – Chairs/Cliché – premiere, Divadlo Ponec 20:00
6. 12. – The Nutcracker, Národní divadlo 14:00 a 19:00
13.-14. 12. – Three Rooms, Divadlo Ponec 20:00
16. 12. – Requiem for a Dog, Divadlo Ponec 20:00
19.-21. 12. – Foreigner, Divadlo Ponec 20:00

Čapek’s “decaying” art


Josef Čapek: Parník / Ship

The Humblest Art exhibition is inspired by Josef Čapek’s 1920 book of essays of the same name, which looks admiringly at the so-called low or decaying spheres of creation – paintings on shop signs, illustrations of cheap adventure books, old photographs, as well as news photography and films. This thematic exhibition focused on Čapek’s works from 1914 to 1924. The show covers two phases of Čapek output: the first concentrates on the author’s principle, which simply constructs human nature as if from building blocks. The second part presents his creations with special regard to naive primativism, drawing more openly from the field of “the humblest art”.

Josef Čapek: Nejskromnější umění (The Humblest Art)
Výstavní sály Obecního domu, until February 29, 2004, daily from 10-18, entrance CZK 100, reduced CZK 50, family CZK 150

Classical music
6. 12. – Eva Urbanová & Bambini di Praga, Kongresové centrum 19:00
9. 12. – Pavel Šporcl & Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, Obecní dům – Smetanova síň 19:30
12. 12. – Musical Autumn in Klementinum: Ensemble Martinů – festival of classical music, Klementinum – Zrcadlová síň 20:00
15. 12. – Spiritual quintet, Obecní dům – Smetanova síň 19:30
19. 12. – Christmas with Hradišťan, Obecní dům – Smetanova síň 20:00
22. 12. – Christmas Concert with the Czech Philharmonic, Obecní dům – Smetanova síň 19:30
25.-26. 12. – Christmas Oratorio, Státní opera 15:00
27.-30. 12. – “Lúčnica & Diabolské husle: Karpaty”, Obecní dům – Smetanova síň 20:00

Modern music
6. 12. – Hudba Praha – Mikuláš party, Palác Akropolis 19:30
7. 12. – Tiger Lillies, Divadlo Archa 20:00
10. 12. – Amnesty International: -123 min. + Sangredans + Ester Kočičková, Palác Akropolis 19:30
11. 12. – Čechomor, Palác Akropolis 19:30
12. 12. – Future Line: Jelizaveta Bam, Palác Akropolis 19:30
16. 12. – Psí vojáci – Christmas concert, Palác Akropolis 19:30
17. 12. – Echt! + křest CD, Palác Akropolis 19:30
18.-19. 12. – Pedro Tour: Wohnout – rock, Palác Akropolis 19:30
19. 12. – Věra Bílá & Kale – folk, Klub Lávka 20:00
20. 12. – Martha & Tena Elefteriadu, Klub Lávka 20:00
21. 12. – Michal Prokop & friends, Divadlo Archa 20:00
29. 12. – Velvet Revival Band, Palác Akropolis 19:30
31. 12. – The Final Countdown 2004: Baykonur live! + DJs Chiccochillin four + Martin Kamen + Sunpaja + Milosh, Palác Akropolis 19:30

Family entertainment

1.-6. 12. – Excalibur – musical, Divadlo Ta Fantastika 18:00
5. 12. – Mikuláš in Ponec, Divadlo Ponec 17:00
6. 12. – Piškanderdulá – Mikuláš alcove, Divadlo Archa 16:00
6.-8. 12. – Bídníci – musical, GoJa Music Hall 19:00
10.-13. 12. – Galileo – musical, Divadlo Kalich 19:00
14. 12. – Jaroslav Uhlíř, Divadlo Bez zábradlí 14:00
17. 12. – Ondřej Havelka & His Melody Makers, Lucerna – Velký sál 19:30
18.-19. 12. – Romeo and Juliet – romantic musical on ice, T-Mobile Aréna 18:00
20. 12. – Workshop Idy Kelarové – singing workshop, Café Teatr Černá labuť 10:00
31. 12. – “Dune 2003” – New Year’s Eve, Roxy 21:00

 


Klára Pollertová-Trojanová      Photo: Archiv

Black Irish grotesque

The Švandovo Theater in Smíchov will celebrate the one-year anniversary of its reopening following last year’s flood with the long-awaited Czech premiere by the talented Irish playwright Martin McDonagh. Directed by Daniel Hrbek, this diabolical black grotesque takes place on the small Irish island of Inishmor. Besides ordinary village residents who want just to be left alone, its protagonists are the teenage nationalist (Klára Pollertová-Trojanová) and a young terrorist (Matěj Hádek). Although their mutual love is stronger than their relationship with the terrorist organization to which they belong, it isn’t stronger than their love for their four-legged pets, who die under suspicious circumstances.

Martin McDonagh: Poručík z Inishmoru / Lieutenant of Inishmor
Švandovo divadlo, premiere December 13 at 19:00, tickets CZK 140-200

Imitation or confrontation?

The leading Flemish director, film-maker, and actor Josse de Pauw, is the author of üBUNG, a play in which six children aged 12-13 perform before a black-and-white film that is screened above the stage, thus appearing like full-color, three-dimensional miniatures of figures on the screen. The movie is silent, while with remarkable precision the children imitate the conversations, gestures, and activities of the adults on the screen. Is this the lifestyle they must adopt, or are they just ironically mimicking the film? The innovative play has been very well received by audiences, and in 2001 it was named the best play of the season produced in Flemish and Dutch.

Victoria / Josse De Pauw: üBUNG (Belgie/Nizozemsko)
Divadlo Archa, December 19-20 from 20:00, tickets CZK 250

Tickets for these events may be purchased at any of the Ticketpro outlets, online through www.ticketpro.cz., or by phoning the TicketPro call center at 296 329 999.


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