News from the Dvořák Society for Czech and Slovak Music
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Closure of Janáček Theatre in Brno threatens existence of important Czech opera company
The Dvořák Society has received extremely disturbing news about the future of opera at National Theatre Brno (Národní divadlo Brno). It is proposed to shut down the main house, the Janáček Theatre, for 7 months for renovation work. Unlike the closure of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in Britain between 1997 and 1999 — where alternative venues were utilised and the opportunity taken to perform repertoire not feasible in the large theatre — the Brno authorities are planning to disband the opera company for the duration. They have held out the possibility of re-establishing the company at a later date but, coming as this does on top of 20% funding cuts already announced, the very real fear is that the plan will (intentionally or unintentionally) kill off opera in the city.
Tereza Merklová Kyzlinková as Agafya in
Martinů’s The Marriage (Ženitba) for Brno National
Theatre, 2009. Photo: Jana Halová
Brno has a population of around 400,000 people. It is second largest city in the Czech Republic and the largest in Moravia. For music lovers it is indissolubly linked with Moravia’s most famous musical son, the composer Leoš Janáček. That the opera company of the theatre named after him should be dissolved should be unthinkable. It would be comparable to the closure of the Royal Shakespeare Company in Britain. The feeling of many is expressed in two e-mails that we have received from the soprano Tereza Merklová Kyzlinková which we reproduce below. Dvořák Society members and others may remember Terez’s performances as Agafya in Martinů’s The Marriage (Ženitba) at the Brno National Theatre in Pamela Howard’s production. Tereza refers to a petition which for convenience we link to here in PDF format .
The Czech web site Zachraňte Operu ! (Save Opera) has produced this English language version of the petition, which is the appropriate version to sign if you are not a Czech citizen
Dear friends,
Sorry to disturb you, but I wanted to share some informations, with you, as with cultural friend of Czech Republic.
The way, culture is treated nowadays, is a big issue in the whole of Europe. Sadly it has gone really far by us in Brno. The town council there has cut 20% of an already low budget of all culture institutions due to poorly planned investments and the next step, as it turns out, is the abolishment of the opera ensemble, chorus and orchestra. They say, they will eventually take the people back after 7 month, but there is no guarantee and everyone, who has the qualities will be employed elsewhere by then anyway. Even if I don’t mention the soloists, who theoretically could guest and then come back, the orchestra and chorus are very good in there and it would be a huge waste to damage that. It is incredible, that the 2nd biggest city in CZ should have NO OPERA HOUSE!
Tonight we play wonderful Excursions of Mr Brouček, I hope not for last time.
There is already a petition out there possible to sign it on internet.
If you could sign it for us, we will be very pleased!
Thank you for your time and help!
Sincerely yours
Tereza Merklová Kyzlinková
Member of Janáček opera house
The second e-mail from Tereza Merklová Kyzlinková is below.
We have also support from Wiener Staats Oper, and from Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. Yesterday we made some public protest in Brno downtown, and came there around 1000 people to sign this petition and support us.
For Czech speaking people here are some small videos from internet, where is described our problem in detail. Most important is the first from briefing in theater, and the second reaction of our politicians.
Thank you for all!
Sincerely Tereza
