Bohuslav Martinů Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Ludwig van beethoven The Opening of the Springs, cantata for soli, female chorus and instrumental accomp. bedřich smetana Julietta (The Key To Dreams). Lyric opera in three acts, H 253 Antonín dvořák gustav mahler leoš janáček Rudolfinum bohuslav martinů Lichtenštejnský palác Dům U Žluté růže na Kampě Julietta (The Key To Dreams). Lyric opera in three acts, H 253 Music Bohuslav Martinů/původní text Georges Neveux/libreto Bohuslav Martinů/překlad Bohuslav Martinů Artist Ivo Žídek/Maria Tauberová/Czech house orchestra of the National Theatre Prague/Jaroslav Krombholc The Opening of the Springs, cantata for soli, female chorus and instrumental accompaniment, H.354 Music Bohuslav Martinů/původní text Miloslav Bureš Artist Stanislav Bogunia/Petr Messiereur/Jan Kvapil/Petr Haničinec/Jan Talich/Agáta Čakrtová/Ivan Kusnjer/Milada Čejková/Kühnův ženský sbor/Pavel Kühn Bohuslav Martinů 20th-century Czech composer whose oeuvre is marked by influences ranging from folk music to Impressionism to jazz. He worked as a violinist in the Czech Philharmonic. His works include the operas Julietta and The Greek Passion, the ballet Špalíček (The Chap-Book), and the cycle The Opening of the Springs. 8 December 1890 in Polička (Czech Republic) 28 August 1959 in Liestal (Switzerland), buried in Polička (Czech Republic) Bohuslav Martinů came into the world in the tower of the church of St. James, born into the family of a shoemaker, who also served as the town’s tower watchman. Young Bohuslav took lifelong inspiration from the proximity of the sky, which was very unstable in the Vysočina region. His musical talent manifested itself quite early - he received his first violin lessons from the local tailor J. Černovský. At age 16, he left home to study at the Prague Conservatoire, where, however, he failed. He left the conservatory, but made a second attempt, and in 1912, he passed the state exam on the violin. Salvation came in the form of a friend who pointed out Martinů's overlooked talent to the legendary conductor Václav Talich. As a result, rom 1920 to 1923 Martinů was a full member of the Czech Philharmonic. From the beginning of his musical career, he composed, inspired mainly by Impressionism (“I'd like to compose like Debussy.”). In 1922 he became a pupil of Josef Suk, and a year later, he won a three-month scholarship in Paris. Here he married Charlotte Quennehen, a factory seamstress, but also became close friend to his student Vítězslava Kaprálová. After the occupation of France in 1940, he moved to America, where he served as professor of music composition at Princeton University. In 1952 he received his American citizenship, but the following year he returned to Europe. His final home became the Swiss town of Schönenberg. He died of stomach cancer in Liestal. Works: Bohuslav Martinů's work includes all types of musical compositions. Initially inspired by Impressionism, he was hit by the jazz wave during his stay in France. He wrote an orchestral Memorial to Lidice and his 4th Symphony celebrates the end of the war. His 6th Symphony, sometimes also called Symphonic Fantasia, saw huge success in America and between 1955 and 1956, it was performed at least 28 times. His advent to fame, in 1924, was a symphonic piece entitled Poločas (Half-Time), which captures the noise of a sports stadium during the break. A similar structure can be found in the piece Vřava (Turmoil), dedicated to the first transatlantic flyer, Lindbergh. We can find elements of jazz in works such as some of his ballets, his Jazz Suite, or the opera Tři přání (Three Wishes). His opera Julietta, or The Key to Dreams is considered to be one of the most delicate works of the century. Another significant operatic work of Martinů's is The Greek Passion. Martinů also created a number of ballets, the most famous of which is Špalíček (Chap-Book), in which he tried to create a new type of theater with a series of sung sections. Among his famous cantatas ranks Gilgamesh as well as Opening of the Springs and Field Mass, dedicated to the Czechoslovak war volunteers. House at the Yellow Rose There is a plaque with a bust and inscription: "Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959) lived in this house during his student years." Lichtenstein Palace - Martinů Concert Hall This concert hall, named after the composer Bohuslav Martinů, is located in a historic palace in the Malá Strana neighbourhood. It has been the seat of the Academy of Performing Arts since 1991. Rudolfinum Prague’s premier concert hall and one of Prague’s architectural highlights was built during the years 1876-1884 by architects Josef Zítek and Josef Schulz. It was named the Rudolfinum in honor of the Austrian Crown Prince Rudolf. It serves as the seat of the Czech Philharmonic, whose inaugural performance here was conducted by Antonín Dvořák in 1896. One of the Philharmonic’s permanent members was also the composer Bohuslav Martinů (between 1920 – 1923.) Alšovo nábřeží 12 Malostranské nám. 258/13 Na Kampě 511/12