Culture

John Malkovich to Premiere One-Man Show in Prague

Oscar-nominated actor John Malkovich will present the world premiere of his latest show, The Infamous Ramirez Hoffman on November 11 at Prague’s Congress Centre. The Infamous Ramirez Hoffman is based on the work of Chilean author Roberto Bolaño. The title of the play is taken from the final chapter of Bolaño’s 1996 novel Nazi Literature in the Americas, which was expanded upon in the novella Distant Star. The book is a story about an artist who cares only about aesthetics rather than ethics. The Infamous Ramirez Hoffman will be staged in English, likely with Czech supertitles. Tickets for the performance are available for purchase on Ticketportal, and run from CZK 1490-2990. About John Malkovich John Gavin Malkovich is an American actor and producer best known for his performance in movies, such as ‘Places in the Heart’ and ‘In the Line of Fire’ for which he received ‘Academy Award’ nominations. He has enjoyed a long and productive career spanning four decades in Hollywood. Starting out as an actor, he eventually made it big as a producer too. A love for performing arts was something he was born with, though neither of his parents was from show business. He displayed a keen...

 by Prague Morning Sep 13, 2022

Czech Republic Sends ‘Il Boemo’ to Oscars for Best International Film

Czech Film and Television Academy (CFTA) selected Il Boemo as this year’s Czech Oscar candidate. Period drama, written and directed by Petr Václav, will represent the Czech Republic as the official submission for the 95th Academy Awards in the category Best International Feature Film. Set in the second half of the 18th century, Il Boemo tells an extraordinary story of Josef Mysliveček, son of a Prague’s miller, who leaves for Italy to fulfil his dream and establish himself as a composer in the very centre of European opera. Thanks to his talent but also to his charisma and luck, in a few years he manages to break through where many others have failed before him. From an unknown musician “from the north”, he becomes one of the biggest stars of the musical firmament at the time. Recognition and fame bring him satisfaction, give him access to the highest circles of society, and provide him with constant favour of women, including the most famous opera divas. Yet, despite his success, he is unable to provide for himself materially on a permanent basis. Petr Václav spent more than 10 years making his dream film, which will be introduced in world premiere at San Sebastian IFF in...

 by Prague Morning Sep 13, 2022

Broken Jewish Tombstones Used to Pave Czech Square Made Into Memorial

The desecration of Jewish cemeteries under the communist regime of the former Czechoslovakia has been given official recognition with a new memorial fashioned from headstones that were carved up and used for paving stones in Prague. The Return of the Stones monument, consisting of 7 tonnes of broken tombstones, was unveiled on Wednesday in Prague’s old Jewish cemetery, which itself was partly desecrated to make a public park before becoming the site of the city’s soaring television tower. In the shadow of the 709ft (216-metre) tower, Karol Sidon, the Czech Republic’s chief rabbi, recited a Hebrew blessing for the new structure, which was commissioned by the local Jewish community after the cobblestones were dug up in Prague’s Wenceslas Square in May 2020 at the start of an extensive facelift. The paving stones are thought to have been made from headstones taken from Jewish cemeteries in the northern Bohemia region during the communist period, which ended in 1989 when the Velvet Revolution ushered in a new era of democratic rule. They were laid in Wenceslas Square in a pedestrianisation project carried out in preparation for a visit by the then Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, to Prague in 1987. Prague city council...

 by Prague Morning Sep 08, 2022

Unpacking the Deceit of Modern Capitalism with ‘Czech Dream’

Whilst the idea of fake news has only recently become a disturbing phenomenon, winning the award of ‘Word of the Year’ in 2017 thanks to the conspiracy-ridden Presidency of Donald Trump, the idea of false advertising and national deceit has existed for centuries. The young Czech filmmakers Filip Remunda and Vít Klusák realised this truth, soon to be popularised, back in 2004, releasing their quietly hilarious stab at corporate fakery with Czech Dream. Created as an elaborate graduation project whilst they were at university, the grand concept of Remunda and Klusák’s surreal documentary was to plan, advertise and create the facade for a brand new supermarket in the Czech countryside. They did it to see how many people would flock to the ‘spectacular’ opening day. Sounding like an intricate YouTube prank, the work of the young Czech filmmakers was as boisterous as the modern-day online philanthropist MrBeast but was grounded in a large dose of clever satire. Devising the name Český sen (Czech dream) for their new hypermarket, the filmmakers create a grand advertising campaign for the fake store, using provocative messages like ‘don’t come’ and ‘don’t spend’, which appeared in newspapers and on vast billboards. Donning fitted suits, the two...

 by Julian S. Sep 06, 2022

Czech Philharmonic to Perform on Unique Floating Stage on the Vltava River

An extraordinary concert will be held not far from Žofín Palace in Prague on 2 September on the occasion of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU. This summer evening will be made all the more wonderful with delightful melodies by famous Czech composers, namely Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák and Leoš Janáček, performed by the Czech Philharmonic, the Prague Philharmonic Choir and soloists. The Concert for Europe will be launching the Prague Sounds festival, following on from the successful Strings of Autumn music project with a tradition spanning twenty-five years. World-famous names like the South African violinist Daniel Hope and the phenomenal American cellist Yo-Yo Ma have performed at it in previous years. Once a year, this unique festival offers the opportunity to listen to international artists with the impressive backdrop of historic Prague. The Czech Philharmonic will be leading this extraordinary event marking the Czech Presidency, and the event will be its first ever experience on the surface of the Vltava River. Smetana’s Vltava, Dvořák’s Carnival and Janáček’s monumental Glagolitic Mass will again be brought to life under the baton of Chief Conductor Semyon Bychkov. The concert will be held, as in previous years, on a floating platform in the open...

 by Prague Morning Aug 31, 2022

Czech Film Production Incentives Back, but at a Reduced Rate

Following outrage from Czech and international producers, the Czech Republic is bringing back its film production incentives – but at a reduced rate that’s being called a stop-gap measure until a new law can fully restore them. Czech President Milos Zeman has signed a new act to keep the incentives at 20% of rebate on cash spent – lagging behind the 30% rate now in play in Hungary and Poland and also trailing Slovakia and Germany, who each offer 25%. The new law also caps the fund available for rebates at about $6 million per project, a limit that the head of the Czech Film Commission, Pavlina Zipkova, says “is going against the pure sense of production incentives, which is to attract inward investment.” Zipkova adds that industry officials are at work on an improved version of the incentives law to create more competitive conditions to keep the recent flow of mega-productions such as Netflix’s “The Gray Man” and Amazon’s “The Wheel of Time” coming. Details of the draft measure are still under wraps but Zipkova says it’s expected to pass and take effect in 2024 ideally. This summer, with incentives depleted, Vratislav Slajer, the head of the country’s main producers’ association, the...

 by Prague Morning Aug 24, 2022

3 Sayings About Czech People Explained

Czechs have a lot of sayings and some about themselves. Here are three of them and we will not only explain what they mean but also where they come from. Golden Czech Hands (Zlaté české ručičky) Zlaté české ručičky or Golden Czech Hands refers to the ability of the Czech people to make anything themselves. Need electricity installed in your house? No problem, the uncle can do it! Need some furniture built? Don’t call the professionals, we will figure it out! This about illustrates the attitude many Czechs have towards making things they need instead of leaving it to the professionals. Not that they would distrust them, this habit comes from the 40 years of communism where even simple things were scarce and people had to figure things out on their own. We are talking about relatively recent times which many Czechs still remember so they are not only used to making things themselves but are also really good at it. Every Czech is a musician (Co Čech to muzikant) Czech festivities have always been accompanied by lots of music. Previously no professional bands were being hired, the village people were always responsible for this irreplaceable part of every harvest...

 by Prague Morning Aug 20, 2022

Prague Will Come Alive With Art for One Week in September

From September 9 to 15, the international art festival PRAGUE ART WEEK 22 will be taking place in Prague for the first time ever. Following the example of other large cities around the world, the festival aims to connect the Prague art scene and, through a joint initiative, make the Czech capital stand out on the world art map on the occasion of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The festival of visual art invites visitors from the Czech Republic and abroad to more than fifty galleries, museums, art collections, and other art institutions all over Prague, which will present a diverse program focused on the visual art of Central and Eastern Europe. The opening of the festival will take place on Friday, September 9, at 5 p.m. in the piazzetta of the New Stage of the National Theatre, where the festival center, the so-called Superstudio, will be located for the entire week. The opening will be followed by the festival weekend, during which major art institutions have prepared either free or discounted admission for festival visitors. From Monday, September 12, to Thursday, September 15, the organizers encourage guests to visit the smaller, private galleries that...

 by Prague Morning Aug 15, 2022

On This Day: Fire Broke Out at the National Theatre in Prague

The National Theatre in Prague, built almost entirely using money raised through public collections, was a world rarity. For some thirty years, people gathered funds “coin by coin”. The fire that destroyed much of it in 1881 was, therefore, all the more devastating. Because of insufficient funds for its construction, money was collected from all social classes. The foundation stone was placed in 1868, the historical date remembered as the beginning of this amazing edifice. Years passed and finally in 1881, the neo-Renaissance construction was opened for a first performance that took place in the honor of Crown Prince Rudolf. On 12th August 1881, when the last details were being retouched, a fire broke out and destroyed much of the new building, destroying the roof, stage and auditorium, including the decorations for the upcoming premiere of Smetana’s Libuše. The vestibule, foyer, loggia and a number of rooms, such as the archive, cloakroom and theatre office, were preserved. The event was considered a national catastrophe, but the Czechs didn’t stand aside. They started a new campaign for the reconstruction of the National Theatre. Rich and poor contributed and the result was the amazing one million florins gathered in 47 days. In...

 by Prague Morning Aug 12, 2022

Day of Jewish Monuments Held Around Czech Republic

The Jewish community in the Czech lands was never very numerous, but its cultural influence was enormous. Even today, we can walk through Jewish neighborhoods, bow our heads at Jewish cemeteries or explore one of about two hundred synagogues. More than 50 Jewish monuments around the country will open to the public free of charge on Sunday, August 14, as part of this year’s  Day of Jewish Monuments. In Prague, the Jeruzalem Synagogue – built in the late 1860s in the Moorish – participates in the event. Visitors will be able to see synagogues, Jewish cemeteries and other buildings, some of which are normally not accessible. Among the biggest attractions this year are two newly reconstructed synagogues – the Great Synagogue in Pilsen and the synagogue in Čáslav. The Day of Jewish Monuments initiative is organized by Jewish community in Prague in collaboration with Matana, the administrative body for  Jewish buildings and cemeteries; the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic; the Jewish community in Brno; and the Jewish community in Teplice. Some 200 synagogues and 370 Jewish cemeteries have been preserved to this day in the Czech Republic. Around 70 synagogues were destroyed in the country during the Second World War and another...

 by Prague Morning Aug 12, 2022

Movies that Explain Life in Czech Republic

Traveling has been a little difficult in the past year but here are some movies that explain life in the Czech Republic, including its previous eras. These Czech movies have been organized according the time period they depict and there’s a link at each movie where you can watch/buy/rent it. Musíme si pomáhat / Divided We Fall (2000) The first movie I want to tell you about is set in German-occupied Czechoslovakia in the 1940ies and tells the story of the life of people in a small village during these dark times. This Oscar-nominated movie shows perfectly that even in the worst of times the Czechs maintain their specific humor. It also explains some of the characteristics the older generation of Czechs have in common, except for the general distrust of the Germans – the always-present need to look over one’s shoulder. Watch this movie: Amazon Anthropoid (2016) Anthropoid is a film based on a true story of the planned assault on the SS Obergrupenführer Reinhard Heydrich. The movie is of Czech-British production and was shot in Prague. Just like Divided We Fall it shows the horrible reality the Czechs had to endure during the German occupation. Watch this movie: Amazon Želary...

 by Prague Morning Aug 10, 2022

Signal Festival 2022 is Approaching!

Signal Festival will take place from Thursday 13 October to Sunday 16 October in the streets of Prague. In the last 10 years, the festival has attracted more than 3 million visitors and helped to create 90 original works of art, supporting the youngest generation of Czech artists. Although the venues are not always the same, in the past they have included Republic Square, Old Town Square (Kinsky Palace), Rudolfinum, Shooters Island, National Theatre, Kampa Park, Peace Square and Prague Castle. Lately, they’ve gone out to Karlin as well and instead of a start and finish they now have different circuits. “This year we celebrate our 10th anniversary and we will offer videomappings, new installations and venues, world-known artists, projections, live shows, talks, and many new collaborations. We’re not gonna reveal the official program just yet, but you can take a little sneak peak,” says festival director Martin Pošta. “Thanks to the newly established international cooperation, we will be able to bring you more inspiring artists from all over the world, especially in the field of digital and new media. You will get the opportunity to see the works previously exhibited in world-class galleries in Berlin, New York, London, or Lisbon,” he added. The...

 by Prague Morning Aug 09, 2022

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