| Kateřina Kněžíková | Sopran |
| Martin Kasík | Klavier |
| Petr Ries | Kontrabass |
| Bennewitz Quartet |
Songs by Dvořák and his French contemporaries take center stage in this chamber matinée, complemented by works of B. Martinů, for whom France was a major source of inspiration.
The riverbanks grow quiet as boats drift into slumber, and the burdens of a long day fadeaway. Though heard only at the concert’s close, this lyric—reminiscent of A Hard Day’s Night—captures this programme’s essence: passion, elegance, and a touch of enchanting nostalgia.
Kateřina Kněžíková, joined by the rich sound of a piano and string quartet or quintet, bringsthis atmosphere to life. Gabriel Fauré’s La Bonne Chanson and Ernest Chausson’s Chanson perpétuelle open a window into Antonín Dvořák’s world, while Dvořák’s songs set to Gustav Pfleger-Moravský’s poetry reveal the composer’s Czech and Schubert-inspired soul. Bohuslav Martinů’s “French” quartet evokes his early dreams of Paris, seen from his hometown of Polička and from Prague.
The evening drifts to a close with Joseph Jongen’s final song—like a woman slipping behind a veil—leaving hearts open to dreams beneath the first star, so often Venus.
Ticket prices: 590 – 2 090 CZK
