2024-07-01 10:51:35
HRight here and one other place cannot stand, his monument. Proper on the Vltava. Within the background is the highest of the wall, which appears to achieve the sky with the highest of St Vitus Cathedral. Across the monument, a willow bends its branches to the immortal man, as if to guard him from the assault of vacationers who, even as we speak, rush to Charles Bridge, which he was on the subsequent door, at an early hour. 100 meters additional, diagonally reverse its statue, is the good Nationwide Theater, which opened in 1883 with the opera “Libussa”. We’re speaking about Bedrich Smetana.
And that is why we are actually within the heart of probably the most stunning metropolis in Europe. Sure, Paris or not: the traveler has to confess that Prague appeals to a special stage of feelings than the capital of the nineteenth century. It most likely has one thing to do with German, European romanticism that nothing else has touched our hearts as a lot because it does right here.
Prague has an city panorama during which probably the most stunning architectural stays are distributed, from Gothic to Renaissance and Baroque to Belle Epoque. The place the wealthy church towers kind a vertical density to the curved horizontal of many hills. The place the silvery rivers roll extensive and leisurely. Prague is an iconic picture of a European metropolis. So long as we are able to get pleasure from your face, this laptop might be accessible – discover out who and what you’ll be able to.
And this man, to whom they’ve erected a monument right here in a particular place, which exhibits that he sits and thinks, he’s the great spirit of this civilization. He made them sound congenial by way of his music. In his eight operas he provides their social types a concrete kind. He has their happiness and has turned their disappointment into generally nice, generally candy songs. Previous Europe, the primary trendy, which nonetheless retains the hint components of modernity till it’ll quickly be fully destroyed by globalization and digitization: it has been preserved all the time within the songs of Bedrich Smetata.
An finish to numbness and melancholy
And in contrast to us Germans, the Czechs know and honor this this 12 months, on his 2 hundredth birthday, they’re honoring their nation’s founder all through the nation. In fact, in the beginning is Prague. For the “golden metropolis” has seen its rise, its triumphs and its fall in deafness and tinnitus, and eventually in melancholy. Even his dying in a psychiatric hospital was solely 60 years previous.
However now it has been adorned with a brand new manufacturing of an opera that’s about to rival “The Bartered Spouse” in recognition within the Czech Republic. It is known as “Secret”. Right here too, the love to bounce and the enjoyment of melodies reign supreme. Conferences generally obtain excessive depth, as we all know from Richard Wagner. And in the long run, a younger and previous couple discover one another, overcoming an previous household feud. Romeo and Juliet within the village! That is introduced with a vigorous music, practical setting and, with a pinch of irony, very romantic.
Litomysl, the birthplace of the grasp, which has 10,000 inhabitants as we speak, was additionally dressed for Smetana. It goes with out saying that the Smetana Competition, which has been held there for greater than 50 years and is the second largest within the nation after the “Prague Spring”, is totally devoted to the anniversary Nevertheless, the restoration of the house- the residence within the nice mansion, which remains to be on this metropolis and in addition testifies to the good wealth of the previous Bohemian noble households, was not completed in time.
However why do we now have a sports activities corridor within the metropolis? It should present directions for appreciable effort to convey all eight of Smetana’s operas in addition to components of his chamber, orchestral and choral music to be heard right here this summer time, even in live performance kind as the good “Libussa” with the sensational Katerina Knzikova. the title position underneath the director of the Czech Philharmonic Jakub Hrusa.
The tour fanatic was not pleased with a gradual piece from 2014 from Moravian Ostrava, “Satan’s Wall”, which already appeared to the viewers as a wierd Center Ages monument and which additionally testifies musically to the decline of the composer of is already sick. . However regardless, this “Satan’s Wall” remains to be a part of it. Good manners require that issues be handled with respect.
Bedrich Smetana Museum in entrance of the Charles Bridge and Hradcany
Quelle: Picture Alliance / imageBROKER/ROM
This makes Litomysl itself extra satisfying, an actual discovery of its appeal is indeniable each on the lengthy inexperienced space with spacious arcades in consolation and on the big constructing space, which provides quite a lot of play house for youngsters. Even the eating places and accommodations listed here are in a poor situation, in contrast to within the small cities of Saxony or Thuringia, for instance. A wholesome social combine makes Litomysl reside as a college city, which is rarely misplaced.
By the way in which, like in Prague, the Smetana Museum can also be right here. It’s situated in one of many citadel’s farms, the brewery, and has been renovated lately. Smetana’s father leased the manufacturing unit and have become wealthy sufficient to purchase a giant home in probably the most stunning place available in the market. However little Friedrich was born within the brewery. We have no idea if he had bathed in alcohol. However there is no such thing as a query that the big advanced of the richly adorned Renaissance palace, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Website for 25 years, awakens the intelligence of his hero, which he was in a position to stage successfully in his historic operas ” Libussa” and “Dalibor”.
Bedrich Smetana’s home
Quelle: picture alliance/dpa/CTK/Libor Sojka
The irony of issues: in the whole lot, these compositions with “patriotic” materials are primarily based on German literature, as Smetana’s native language is German; He needed to diligently be taught Czech as an grownup. Maybe it’s as a result of the Czechs as we speak defiantly keep away from utilizing German titles on show of their museums and solely not often hassle to make use of English titles. Patriotism remains to be a take a look at on this nation, even for Smetana, who mentioned on the finish of his life: “I do not care if my works are achieved overseas or not.”
That is why the tour operator was very shocked when he instantly discovered himself confronted with German subtitles in the course of the two-act efficiency of Smetana’s “The Kiss” in a pleasant little theater in Reichenberg, Czech Liberec. This sport, which was the most well-liked amongst his colleagues throughout Smetana’s lifetime, was identified in Germany as “The Secret” or “Satan’s Wall”. However within the Czech Republic each youngster is aware of the 2 lullabies, the jubilant morning track or the black refrain of smugglers, that are the highlights of this opera. They have been greeted with nice acclaim on this architectural bonbonnière by the grasp builders Fellner and Helmer, who furnished the whole Habsburg Empire with theaters.
Germany’s leaders are standing tall
All Czech singers produced their music in Prague, Litomysl and Reichenberg. Aside from the viewers in Litomysl, who most likely got here to the performances for social causes, they have been speaking to the consultants. They snort at humorous components, they smile when issues are sincere in occasional discussions, they whisper appreciatively when a fearful want involves fruition. Smetana was not an mental inventor; His liberttists have been even much less mental. Nevertheless: What we hear right here, what we face right here, is the center of Europeans. The sentiments are expressed unfiltered, merely and instantly affecting the center.
German leaders, of their emotional fixation, have lengthy prevented Smetana. When and the place did you see a brand new manufacturing of Smetana’s biggest hit “The Bartered Spouse”? It was a part of the document on German phases like “Aida”, “Carmen” and “La Bohème”. From the primary be aware of the overture, persevering with within the babbling, laughing sixteenth-note repetitions, that within the folkloric dance bliss of the polkas, issues symbolize an apotheosis of the fun of life.
There’s additionally an excellent achievement in Smetana’s symphonic cycle “My Fatherland”, during which he made quite a lot of “The Moldau” with the principle theme of the track which is undoubtedly part of six. The entire composition quantities to the unbroken glory of the legend, panorama and historical past of the Czech nation. Do you need to name that poison? The enthusiastic traveler agrees: It could possibly additionally make you content.
Happiness is even right here, as a result of Smetana additionally is aware of darkish instances nicely sufficient. He portrayed nervousness, fear and disappointment in spectacular roles to his foremost feminine characters, Marie in “Bartered Spouse” and Vendulka in “Kiss”. And when Hans solutions the query of the wedding dealer Kecal within the second act of “The Bartered Bride” about the place he’s from, “I’m removed from right here” after which with an octave jumps into the depths “nearly from Moravia’s border”, and once more. settle for Probably the most hardened individual may have a lump of their throat on the sight of the unhappy loss and abandonment that this track expresses.
Moravia’s border! How shut you are actually not solely to the Bohemians, however to us Germans. Subsequently, allow us to set out, in a method or one other, to expertise the musical tradition of this area that isn’t with out motive known as the “Conservatory of Europe” within the nineteenth century. Allow us to observe in Smetana’s footsteps, particularly in Prague, for instance within the Previous City Sq., the place he established his first music faculty, within the Tyn Church, the place the state funeral was held for him in 1884, after which right here – Vysehrad cemetery, the place he was buried.
However above all on the Quay named after him on the Vltava, between the Nationwide Theater and Charles Bridge, the place he was the choir director, but in addition within the former Lazansky Palace, the place he lived in 1860. Café Slavia is right here for greater than 100 years. Within the Artwork Deco mansion, reverse the Nationwide Theatre, all Smetana’s goals can start, develop and repeat. Such a factor exists solely in Prague. In probably the most stunning metropolis in Europe.
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