FILM MELODIES FROM ICONIC CZECH MOVIES TO FILL THE SMETANA HALL
On Thursday, March 27, the Zlín Film Festival, in collaboration with the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, will present a unique concert titled Masters of Film Music.
This extraordinary event, featuring renowned film melodies, will take place at 7:30 PM in Smetana Hall at the Municipal House (Obecní Dům) in Prague.
This exceptional concert will showcase compositions from legendary Czech films performed by the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Czech Radio Children’s Choir, and Prague singers, Carmina Bohemica and soloist Barbora Perna, all conducted by Jan Kučera. Attendees will hear iconic melodies from The Cremator, The Shop on Main Street, The Little Mermaid, The Valley of the Bees, and other works by composer Zdeněk Liška.
"With this concert, we aim to honor this exceptional composer, whose life and work were inseparably linked with the Zlín Film Studios and with filmmakers like Karel Zeman and Hermína Týrlová," said artistic director Markéta Pášmová. She emphasized that Zdeněk Liška was a master of sonic imagination and musical contrasts. His compositions enhanced the emotional depth and artistic quality of the films he worked on. "Liška was often described as a unique artist who occasionally influenced directors with his suggestions and innovative solutions. As he said in one of the rare interviews he gave, ‘I compose only to the images,’” added Pášmová.
In addition to Liška’s works, the concert will feature pieces by Petr Hapka (Krakonoš and the Skiers, Beauty and the Beast), Jiří Šust (Cutting It Short, The Snowdrop Festival), and Luboš Fišer (Arabela, Golden Eels).
"We are deeply honored to be part of this exceptional project that highlights not only iconic film melodies but also the extraordinary creators behind them. The music of Zdeněk Liška, Petr Hapka, and Luboš Fišer is an integral part of our cultural identity, and bringing these works to life on a concert stage is a remarkable experience for both the orchestra and the audience," said Jakub Čížek, Director of the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra. A segment of the evening will also be dedicated to music from beloved Czech fairy tales. The Evening Fairy Tale Suite will include themes from Krkonoše Fairy Tales, Rákosníček, Mach and Šebestová, and Give the Devil His Due.
Tickets are available at socr.rozhlas.cz and colosseumticket.cz.
