The opera “Rusalka” will ring out at chateaux

Antonín Dvořák’s celebrated opera “Rusalka” will ring out at Czech chateaux. Audiences can expect a truly splendid cultural experience as they savour the tones of classical music in the romantic environs of historic buildings.

The opera is being presented at a total 14 chateaux and 1 castle as part of the project entitled “Classical under the Stars” (“Klasika pod hvězdami”), which is being held for the first time this year. The organiser of this cultural event is the art agency Art Triton. CzechTourism is a media partner of the event.

At each performance, viewers can look forward to a more than 100 member ensemble featuring soloists from the leading Czech opera stages (e.g. the State Opera Prague, the National Theatre Prague). The performances will be held in either the courtyards or parks of the chateaux, and there will be a fireworks display at the close of each performance. The performances will be in Czech, with German and English programmes prepared for foreigners in attendance.

If you are planning to attend, you need not worry about unfavourable weather. Even if it begins to rain, the show will go on. The stages and orchestra pits will be covered and the organisers have arranged plastic raincoats for the audience.

Locations and schedule
Saturday, 3 July - Slavkov u Brna chateau
Sunday, 4 July - Žleby chateau
Friday, 9 July - Water Castle of Švihov
Saturday, 10 July - Loučeň chateau
Friday, 16 July - Štiřín chateau
Saturday, 17 July - Lednice chateau
Friday, 23 July - Třeboň chateau
Saturday, 24 July - Hradec nad Moravicí chateau
Friday, 30 July - Bechyně chateau
Saturday, 31 July - Sychrov chateau
Friday, 13 August - Boskovice chateau
Saturday, 14 August - Roudnice nad Labem chateau
Friday, 20 August - Bečov nad Teplou chateau
Saturday, 21 August - Orlík chateau
Saturday, 28 August - Bor u Tachova chateau

Slavkov u Brna Chateau will even present the opera „Rusalka“ two-time. Visitors can acquaint with it for the first time on the 8th June from 4 pm, when an exhibition „Dvořák´s Rusalka“ will be opened at a gallery.
The Museum of Antonín Dvořák in Vysoká near Příbram has lent the exhibition to the chateau. The composer often stayed at his mansion in Vysoká near Příbram, which he got from his brother-in-law and a famous patron Wenceslas, Count Kaunitz. The exhibition presents the creation of the composer from starting correspondence with the author of the libretto Jaroslav Kvapil after the premiere at the National Theatre in Prague in 1901. Visitors can see manuscripts of the piece, correspondence and many period photographs in a confrontation with contemporary productions of the opera of world opera scenes and top performers. The exhibition also introduces the village Vysoká as a place of Dvořák's inspiration for this opera, both in time of its creation and today. The exhibition will be on view until 18th November 2010 in parallel with the opening time of the chateau.