PRSO at the Czech Senate for the culmination of the project Freely
It is 60 years since the words “The voice of free Czechoslovakia, Radio Free Europe calling…” were heard across the airwaves for the first time. On the occasion of this anniversary, Czech Radio organised the project Freely in co-operation with Radio Free Europe and other partner institutions. It reached a culmination at the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic on May 5.
The official opening of the exhibition Freely took place in the Waldstein Garden in the early evening, with a ceremonial concert by the PRSO beginning at 7:30. The orchestra, conducted by Petr Vronský, performed compositions which, like Radio Free Europe, originated in the United States. First was Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin with soloist Jan Simon, followed by the final movement of Antonín Dvořák’s New World Symphony.
The ceremonial evening was held under the auspices of the first deputy chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Přemysl Sobotka, His Excellency Norman Esien, members of the management of Czech Radio led by acting director Peter Duhan, vice president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty John O’Sullivan, director of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes Daniel Herman, dean of Charles University’s Faculty of Michal Stehlík, and many other important figures in Czech public life.
