Journey to Jerusalem / Saša Rašilov

Between European polyphony and oriental rhythms, between temple and desert, between calm and eastern storm. We will discover distant horizons together with our guide, narrator Saša Rašilov.

We will set out on a journey to the alluring pilgrimage site in Kájov, where time slows down and music becomes prayer. In the beautifully restored Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, listeners will become part of a musical pilgrimage to Jerusalem – without suitcases, but with an open imagination. The inspiration is the real journey of Kryštof Harant of Polžice and Bezdružice, a Renaissance nobleman who decided to walk to the Holy Land more than four hundred years ago. The musical accompaniment will be provided by Capella Mariana together with the Canadian ensemble Ensemble Constantinople. Together they create a dialogue between European polyphony and oriental rhythms, between temple and desert, between Renaissance calm and Eastern storm. Actor Saša Rašilov will take on the role of narrator. He will not just read, but draw the audience into the story, letting them feel the heat of the desert and the tranquility of holy places. Journey to Jerusalem is a lively concert story about the search for meaning, about a journey that begins in music and ends somewhere deep within us.

This concert is a part of Churches of South Bohemia, which includes also following concerts:

- - - Hejl & St. Wenceslas Chorale , 19.7. 20:00, St. Nicolas Church in Boletice
    - Labyrinth of the World and Paradise of the Heart with Marek Eben, 26.7. 18:00, Church of Corpus Christi and the Grieving Virgin Mary
    - St. Florian Boys’ Choir, 2.8. 19:30, Church of Corpus Christi and the Grieving Virgin Mary

The festival package includes top-category tickets with a 20% discount and access to special offers from festival partners. Available until the end of 2025 or while supplies last.

Artists

Cappella Mariana

Vojtěch Semerád - tenor, artistic director

Hana Blažíková - soprano

Barbora Kabátková - soprano

Tomáš Lajtkep - tenor

Ondřej Holub - tenor

Jaromír Nosek - bass

Ensemble Constantinople

Kiya Tabassian - setar, vocals, artistic director

Didem Başar - kanun

Patrick Graham - percussion

Neva Ozgen - kemenche

Saša Rašilov - recitation, narrator

Program

Agha Mo’men: Tasbih-i Misri, MSS s.317

Kryštof Harant: Missa quinis vocibus Credo

Anonymous: Naqsh Dar Bazm-e Del, MSS s.314

Kryštof Harant: Missa quinis vocibus (Kyrie)

Kiya Tabassian: Namaz-e Sham-e Ghariban

Kryštof Harant: Missa quinis vocibus (Gloria)

Shishtari Murad: Chashm-e Mast, Huseyni Agir Semai

Kryštof Harant: Missa quinis vocibus (Sanctus)

Kâsebâz-i Misri: Pishref-i Misri & Sama‘i, MSS s.318-319

Seyyid Seyfullah: Bu Ashk Bir Bahri Ummandir, Nihavend ilahi, MSS s.318

Kryštof Harant: Maria Kron

Kryštof Harant: Missa quinis vocibus (Agnus Dei)

Paschal de l’Estocart / Ali Ufki: Psalm 4 / Mezmur 2 & 4 Kiya Tabassian - Parvaz

Kryštof Harant (arr. Jaroslav Pelikán) / Gazi Giray Han: Dies est laetitiae / Mahour

Pishrow, Cantemir Collection

Anonymous: Otce Buoha nebeského

Capella Mariana

Cappella Mariana is a top-class vocal ensemble specializing in the interpretation of medieval polyphony, Renaissance polyphony, and early Baroque vocal works. The ensemble’s performances have been enthusiastically received by audiences, with critics praising in particular the expressiveness of their performances and their sensitive approach to working with text. Cappella Mariana was founded in 2008 and is one of the few domestic vocal ensembles to focus on performing forgotten works of vocal polyphony, mainly from domestic archives, but also from the Italian, Flemish, and English Renaissance. Today, the ensemble is regularly invited to prestigious festivals in Antwerp, Utrecht, Dortmund, and Madrid, and its discography includes, among other things, a recording of the unique manuscript of Renaissance polyphony, the Speciálník Codex, and the latest CD, Song of Songs, released on the 10th anniversary of the ensemble’s founding. Capella Mariana operates under the artistic direction of Vojtěch Semerád, who, after completing his studies at Charles University in Prague and the Conservatoire national supérieur in Paris, continues to study and discover sources ranging from Gregorian chant to Renaissance polyphony.

Ensemble Constantinople

Ensemble Constantinople is a Montreal-based musical ensemble (founded in 2001 by artistic director Kiyou Tabassian) inspired by the ancient city at the crossroads of East and West. The ensemble has released 23 albums, created 63 projects, and performed in more than 296 cities in 59 countries. Its vision is to strengthen the place of music in community life and to promote intercultural collaboration. Since its inception, it has created new works drawing on various traditions, from medieval manuscripts to Mediterranean Europe to Eastern cultures. The ensemble has collaborated with leading figures such as Marco Beasley, Savina Yannatou, Suzie Le Blanc, Ablaye Cissoko, Kinan Azmeh, and Kayhan Kalhor, and regularly performs at major festivals and venues such as Salle Pleyel, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music, and the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.

Saša Rašilov

Saša Rašilov studied music and drama at the Prague Conservatory and acting at Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. From 1991 to 1994, he performed at Boris Hybner’s Studio GAG, and from 1994 to 2002, he was a member of Prague’s Divadlo Komedie theater. At the same time, he also made guest appearances at other theaters (the E. F. Burian Theater, the Kašpar Association, the Na Zábradlí Theater etc.) and realized his own writing and directing projects. For twenty-two years, until 2024, he was a member of the National Theater drama ensemble, with which he first performed while still a student. In 2022, he won the Thalia Award for his role in the production Moje říše je z tohoto světa (My Kingdom is From This World), directed by Miroslav Bambuška and presented by Studio Hrdinů. Several notable films stand out from his extensive filmography. He has appeared in Jan Hřebejk’s musical film Šakalí léta (The Jackal Years), Václav Vorlíček’s fairy tale Kouzelný měšec (The Magic Purse), and David Ondříček’s cult film Samotáři (Loners). He was nominated for a Czech Lion award in 2022 for his supporting role in the film Arvéd. He regularly lends his voice to foreign colleagues, such as Johnny Depp. In 2003, he was awarded the František Filipovský Award for his dubbing skills.