August 2010 News Archive
Page last updated 2 December 2010 | RSS feed >> 
| Twitter >> 
CONTENTS
- First recording of Martinů opera Le Jour de Bonté, conducted by Milan Kaňák on Arco Diva label, to be released in UK on 5 October 2010 — London event at The Leicester Square Theatre to launch release … more >>
- Homage to Sir Charles Mackerras — Sir John Eliot Gardiner will now conduct concert by Czech Philharmonic Orchestra on Friday 8 October 2010 in Prague Rudolfinum previously to have been conducted by our late President, Sir Charles Mackerras … more >>
First recording of Martinů opera Le Jour de Bonté, conducted by Milan Kaňák on Arco Diva label, to be released in UK on 5 October 2010 — London event at The Leicester Square Theatre to launch release
First posted 12 August 2010
We have been waiting a long time for a recording of Martinů’s opera Le Jour de Bonté (The Day of Charity / Den dobročinnosti) (H 194) composed during his Paris years, a period that was extremely important for his artistic development. It is therefore with great pleasure and that the Dvořák Society reproduces below the following press release from Laurence Lewis of Czech Music Direct announcing the forthcoming UK release of a CD on the Arco Diva label. There will also be what promises to be a very interesting related Sunday afternoon event at The Leicester Square Theatre in London.
Arco Diva is regarded by many as the leading independent Czech record label. Founded in the 1990s and still run by Jiří Štilec, a former Supraphon producer, the company has a knack of spotting young Czech musical talent. In Dvořák Society Newsletter 91 (April 2010), soprano Marie Fajtová’s Arco Diva recording (UP 0124–2) of songs by Martinů, Klement Slavický, Dvořák and Richard Strauss was favourably reviewed by Bill Marsden. He found “…this is not only an uncommonly interesting selection, under the collective title Pensive Songs, but also brought to my notice a fine young Czech soprano I had not come across before — who also appears on the superb new recording of Zelenka’s Il Diamante (Nibiru NI 0151-2) …”.
Czech Music Direct
PO Box 37452, London N3 1UZ
Tel: ++44 020 8346 0088 FAX: ++44 020 8371 0838
e-mail: cmd@czecheverything.co.uk
www.czecheverything.co.uk
5 August 2010
Press Release 1098 – Immediate
World Premiere Recording of
Martinů’s Unfinished Opera
Le Jour de Bonté (The Day of Charity)
In 1930 Bohuslav Martinů began work on his opera Le Jour de Bonté. In this mix of reality and fantasy, two friends, Lucas and Nicolas, decide to leave their home in the countryside for one day and go to Paris with the intention of doing good for those in need. But the best of their intentions are misinterpreted, leaving them perplexed, until an opportunity to fulfil their day of charity with at least one good deed comes their way.
Unfortunately, as an opera, we do not get this resolution (although the text of the third act is printed in the CD booklet) as Martinů put aside his score and never returned to it, leaving only the first two acts completed.
Conductor Milan Kaňák has edited Martinů’s score for performance and directed its first staging in 2003. In a joint production between Czech Radio Plzeň and Arco Diva, Milan Kaňák conducts this World Première recording of an unknown opera by one of the most important composers of the 20th century.
The recording follows Martinů’s score, with all his indicated sound effects, and is sung in the original French.
CD Details
Martinů — Le Jour de Bonté (The Day of Charity)
Cast
Lucas — Tomáš Bijok
Nicolas — Petr Matuszek
Blonde — Irena Troupová
Le Maire — Peter Poldauf
Le Cabaretier — Michal Mačuha
Une des Femmes — Lucie Fiser Silkenová
Une autre — Libuše Moravcová Myřatská
La 3ème — Gabriela Petirová
Une Femme (Act 2) — Jarmila Kosinová
Une Marchande — Petra Havránková
Le Facteur — Josef Zednik
L’Agent de Police — Josef Škarka
L’Homme — Jaroslav Kovacs
Le Petit Garçon — Livia Obručnik Vénosová
Le Sacristain — Zbyněk Brabec
Le Vagabond — Martin BuchtaFour Soloists — The Prague Chamber Choir
The Prague Chamber Choir
Pilsen Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Milan KaňákTotal Playing Time — 73.16 mins
Price Range — Full
Catalogue Number — UP 0121-2 131Official Release Date — Tuesday 5th October 2010
Multi-media event in London to launch release of recording
Martinů’s Le Jour de Bonté will be launched with a multi-media event entitled A Meeting With Martinů. Featuring film, live performances, a panel discussion and Q and A session, guests will include artists who took part in the recording.
The event starts at 2pm on Sunday 14th November at the Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, London WC2H 7BX. Tickets are £12.50 and £10 concessions, from the Box Office – 0844 847 24 75 or online.
For additional information please contact Laurence Lewis at the above address. Do let us know if you intend to publish a review or broadcast this recording.
Homage to Sir Charles Mackerras — Sir John Eliot Gardiner will now conduct concert by Czech Philharmonic Orchestra on Friday 8 October 2010 in Prague Rudolfinum previously to have been conducted by our late President, Sir Charles Mackerras
First posted 31 August 2010
Sir Charles Mackerras & Magdalena Kožená
© Supraphon Records
Our late and much missed President, Sir Charles Mackerras, had been scheduled to conduct the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert of Czech music at a gala concert (to celebrate his 85th Birthday) in the Rudolfinum, Prague this October. The Czech Philharmonic have now recast the concert as a Homage to Sir Charles Mackerras and it will be conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner. There have been some changes to the programme — the details are now as follows:
Homage to Sir Charles Mackerras
Friday 8 October 2010, 7.30pm
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Ivan Kusnjer (baritone), Sir John Eliot Gardiner (conductor)
Programme:
Dvořák: Overture “In Nature’s Realm (V přírodě)”, Op 91 (B 168)
Martinů: Symphony No 6 “Fantaises Symphoniques” (H 343)
Smetana: Šárka, symphonic poem from cycle Má vlast
Janáček: The Cunning Little Vixen, finale of opera
Suk: Fairy Tale, suite from the music for Zeyer’s play “Radúz and Mahulena”, Op 16
Venue:
Dvořák Hall, Rudolfinum, Prague
