From 12 to 16 July, the 19th year of the summer festival Třeboňská nocturna will fill the historical centre of the South Bohemian Renaissance town of Třeboň with music.
The internationally recognized harpist Kateřina Englichová and oboist Vilém Veverka will open the festival with a programme of compositions by Maurice Ravel, Alphonse Hasselmans, Ilja Hurník, Martin Hybler and Claude Debussy.
“Ravel and Debussy are staples of our repertoire; on top of that, it is Claude Debussy’s anniversary this year. We have added a new composition to the programme by the excellent composer Martin Hybler called Jason and Medea, which we have de facto ‘received as a gift’ for a fifteen-year anniversary of our collaboration with Vilém Veverka. It was also Ilja Hurník’s anniversary this year, and that is why the concert will include his composition Le tombeau de Köchel, which was originally written for the harp and flute and Vilém adapted it for oboe. Additionally, it is a tribute and a very beautiful ‘Hurník-style’ paraphrase of the Ravel’s piece Le tombeau de Couprin, which will be played at the beginning in the arrangement by the great Otomar Kvěch. This way, we can pay tribute to our current composers as well,” commented Kateřina Englichová on the programme of the opening night.
In addition, Třeboňská nocturna will present the winners of the International Prague Spring Music Competition the Korean Arete String Quartet, the trio of the violinist Martina Bačová, French horn player Hana Šuková and pianist Karel Košárek, the chanson singer Chantal Poullain accompanied by the saxophonist Štěpán Markovič and the pianist Martin Krč, special project Ellaboration by Epoque Quartet and the singer Dasha. The festival will close with a tribute to Ema Destinnová by the Philharmonic of Hradec Králové together with the Slovak opera singer Eva Hornyáková under the direction of the conductor Miriam Němcová.
“During the opening concert, we will introduce the music of the 20th century composers Josef Vejvoda and Ilja Hurník, whose birthday we remember this year as he would have been one hundred years old. All this in the interpretation by Kateřina Englichová and Vilém Veverka. Weather permitting, we can look forward to two outdoor concerts in the Theresien Barracks which always have an indescribable atmosphere. And I would also love to mention this year’s novelty: the Thursday’s night concert in the spirit of French chansons performed by Chantal Poullain with accompaniment. Apart from that, I am extremely happy that after two years, we can continue the tradition of introducing the winners and laureates of the International Prague Spring Competition and, in this way, we can show young, hopeful musicians. Artists who performed here in the past have made it among the best European players, such as the pianist Ivo Kahánek, horn player Kateřina Javůrková, oboist Johannes Grosso, clarinetist Shirley Brill and others,” says the director of the festival Irma Mrázková.
The classical music, crossover and chanson evenings will take place at several venues in Třeboň, from the chateau’s stable, through the J. K. Tyl Theatre and the Tunel music bar, to the court of the municipal authority.
This year, the festival Třeboňská nocturna received a significant support from the South Bohemian Region, the town of Třeboň, the State Fund for Culture, Renomie, a.s., Pražská energetika, a.s., as well as from other companies and individuals.
