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Czech folk music and dance festival

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The Autumn Festival of Sacred Music was founded in 1994 and over the twenty-six years of its existence has become a major cultural event in Olomouc. Under the auspices of the archbishop of Olomouc and Moravian metropolitan Msgre Jan Graubner the Festival is organised by MUSICA VIVA in co-operation with the City of Olomouc, the Regional Authority of the Olomouc Region and the Czech Ministry of Culture. The prominent Czech conductor Stanislav Macura was the Festival’s co-founder and over a period of fifteen years served as its artistic director and conductor significantly influencing the Festival’s unique character. The dramaturgy draws upon the immensely rich heritage of brilliant composers of all nations without ignoring contemporary modern sacred music and observes ecumenical principles. The Festival has been recognised for the outstanding artistic quality of guest soloists and internationally renowned quality of vocal and instrumental ensembles. Radio recordings were made from the Festival concerts by Czech Radio, Radio Niederoesterreich (ORF), Slovak Radio and Polish Radio; concerts were broadcasted across Europe via international radio network of EBU. Twenty-five concerts were recorded and broadcasted in co-operation with Czech Television and TV Noe.

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Traditional meeting of folk dance ensembles and folk choirs

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Classical music festival, which has been taking place in Prague since 2005.

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Praha Žije Hudbou is the biggest festival in the streets of Prague. Uličník fancies music, dance, new circus, and theatre.

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The Prague Spring International Music Festival is a permanent showcase for outstanding performing artists, symphony orchestras and chamber music ensembles of the world.

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Mid-sized Czech festival focused on all genres of music

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Rock for People (RfP) is one of the largest open-air summer music festivals in the Czech Republic. The festival began in 1995 in the town Český Brod, and in 2007 it was moved to an unused airport in Hradec Králové. The festival features Czech and international acts of various genres, most prominently alternative rock, pop rock, punk rock, and EDM, and has also featured various workshops and recreational activities. Headlining acts have included Muse, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Arctic Monkeys, My Chemical Romance, the Offspring, the Killers, Paramore, and Massive Attack.

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The Smetana’s Litomyšl festival is the second oldest music festival in the Czech Republic, and at the same time it is among the largest regular classical music festivals held in the country.

It mainly features opera performances and concerts, as well as gala concerts, oratorios, cantatas and song evenings; that is forms in which vocal artistry dominates. However symphonic, instrumental and chamber music are not ignored and in the venues here there are ballet performances and church music as well as promenade concerts and other genres. Every year at the festival practically all the top Czech interpreters perform, the three national theatres, all the significant orchestras and choirs and the best conductors, soloists and instrumentalists. And even though there are many significant foreign guests (among others Katia Ricciarelli, Sherill Milnes, Bernd Weikl, Kurt Rydl, Sergej Larin, Neil Shicoff, Torsten Kerl, Sumi Jo, Kate Royal, Marcello Giordani, Thomas Hampson, Oksana Dyka ...) Smetana’s Litomyšl has retained its Czech character and so is truly a national festival.

The centre of the festival is the wonderful Litomyšl State Castle, which in 1999 was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The main events are held mostly in the acoustically excellently prepared second courtyard with its unique retractable roof, as well as in the castle riding hall, in Litomyšl’s churches, in the Smetana Hall and regularly in selected places in the Pardubice region.

A visit to Smetana’s Litomyšl is no ordinary occasion, as aside from the interesting dramaturgy and the brilliant performances it offers a chance to stay away from the metropolitan hustle and bustle in a place with its own unique spirit.

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