Czech voices celebrated: Janáček, Dvořák and Smetana in chamber works by leading Czech soloists

An evening of chamber music gems celebrates the richness of the Czech musical heritage. Pianist Ivo Kahánek—renowned for his insight into the Czech repertoire and the newly appointed Director of the Prague Conservatory—joins Jan Mráček, Concertmaster of the Czech Philharmonic and winner of the Fritz Kreisler International Violin Competition, alongside alto Václava Krejčí Housková, tenor Aleš Briscein and members of the National Theatre Brno Orchestra and Choir.

The programme opens with Bedřich Smetana’s From the Homeland, an intimate tribute to his beloved country, written with remarkable sensitivity despite being totally deaf. Antonín Dvořák’s Four Romantic Pieces charm with lyrical warmth, while his lively Mazurka blends a Polish dance with Bohemian folk colour.

Leoš Janáček’s passionate Violin Sonata, composed during the turbulence of World War One, precedes The Diary of One Who Disappeared, a raw, semi-autobiographical song cycle of forbidden love and freedom. The evening ends with Janáček’s playful, ironic Capriccio for the unusual combination of left-hand piano, flute and brass instruments—a work brimming with rhythmic surprises and defiant spirit.

Advance bookings will start at 10am on 16 October 2025