Tue, 22. 12. 2020, 7.00 p.m.
M CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Venue: Zlín Congress Centre | Organizer: Filharmonie Bohuslava Martinů, o.p.s. |
JAKUB JAN RYBA
Czech Christmas Mass
KRISTÝNA VYLÍČILOVÁ, soprano
MONIKA JÄGEROVÁ, alto
TADEÁŠ HOZA, tenor
ROMAN HOZA, bass
CANTICUM CAMERALE
MIROSLAV HROMÁDKA, choral director
CANTICA LAETITIA
JOSEF SUROVÍK, choral director
BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
ALEŠ KOMÁNEK, conductor
The Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic sees out the year 2020 with its traditional Christmas Concert and a performance of Jakub Jan Ryba's iconic Czech Christmas Mass. When the composer, who came from Přeštice in western Bohemia, wrote the work more than 200 years ago, it was the first mass written to a Czech text. Written for solo singers, mixed choir and orchestra, it tells the story of the birth of Christ and the arrival of the shepherds in Bethlehem.
Interestingly, the Zlín symphony orchestra's first performance of this piece was exactly 50 years ago at the end of December 1970, in what was then the Dům umění, since when it has performed the mass almost every year, making it a traditional part of its Christmas performances.
The soloists tonight are the young Czech singers Kristýna Vylíčilová, Monika Jägerová, Tadeáš Hoza and Roman Hoza, and the choral element is provided by the combined input of the Zlín-based Cantica Laetitia and Canticum Camerale. The performance is conducted by Aleš Kománek, one of a promising up-and-coming generation of young Czech conductors.