2014

The year 2014 was declared the Year of Czech Music. The 23rd edition of the International Music Festival, therefore, focused on Czech music without neglecting the excellent world production. One of the world’s best tenors, Jonas Kaufmann, became the main face and star of the festival. During the evening, which took place in a sold-out car park, Puccini, Verdi, or Bizet were heard. As has become a tradition of the festival, one of the evenings belonged to the culture and gastronomy of a country or region. And which other country to present on the occasion of the Year of Czech Music than the Czechia? Traditional music was represented by the ensembles Užani, Mladá dudácká muzika and Cimbálová muzika by Jiří Janoušek, modern music was performed by the B-Side Band with Vojtěch Dyk and the Gustav Brom Big Band with soloists. The magnificent end of the festival belonged to the opera gala concert performed by the stars of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. His leading soloists Makvala Kasrashvili, Anna Aglatova, Svetlana Shilova, and Oleg Kulko presented Russian as well as Italian and French opera repertoire. They were accompanied by the Zlín Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic under the baton of Leoš Svárovský.