Poetism in Dvořák’s Time

Kateřina Kněžíková, Bella Adamova, and David Švec invite us into a world of fantasy through songs and duets, presented in the most intimate musical form.

Everything seems so distant, yet so close. Love poems from a manuscript once considered the foundation of Czech mythology, believed to date back to the dawn of national history. Folk texts from Moravian villages that, in Dvořák’s time, must have seemed almost as exotic as One Thousand and One Nights.

Listening to the musical settings of The Dvůr Králové Manuscript, one can easily forget that it was, in fact, a forgery. Yet its air of antiquity enhances its lyrical character, and when paired with music, it conjures a world as enchanting as the finest fantasy. The Moravian Duets, on the other hand, are more grounded, drawing listeners into the lives of real, authentic people. But in Dvořák’s hands, these songs became something more—his keen eye transformed everyday customs into an evocative portrait of the distant countryside, one he brought to Prague with striking originality.

Even Johannes Brahms was captivated by them, recommending them for publication and helping his younger colleague on the path to success. His own selection of songs naturally belongs alongside Dvořák’s in this programme. Completing the trio is a song cycle by Edvard Grieg, where the theme of love intertwines seamlessly with the magic and mystery of the Nordic landscape.

Ticket prices: 490 – 2 190 CZK