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Current AffairsA new "Passion" unveiled at National Theatre
Many are familiar with the work of one of the greatest Czech composers,
Bohuslav Martinu. Martinu wrote a number of operas in a career that
spanned more than half a century. But he wrote only one tragic opera,
"The Greek Passion." A new translation of "The Greek
Passion" premiered at Prague's historic National Theatre on Thursday
night, just in time for Easter.
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Current Affairs50 years since Khrushchev's Secret Speech
50 years ago on Saturday, the Communist Party in Moscow fell silent as
Nikita Khrushchev took the podium at the 20th Party Conference to deliver
his famous "Secret Speech". This monumental attack on Stalin's
brutal rule had a great impact on many countries of the Soviet Bloc, and
was the beginning of the end for hard-line Stalinism in many countries.
Chris Jarrett takes a look at how Czechoslovak society reacted to this
political shift.
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Current AffairsCzech Radio uncovers long-lost audio from Milada Horakova's trial
The sentencing to death of Czech MP Milada Horakova on trumped up charges
of treason at the height of the Stalinist regime in the 1950s will always
be one of the most painful and chilling moments in Czech history. A little
more than 55 years ago, she faced her show trial with calm and defiance,
refusing to be broken. Audio recordings - intended to be used by the
Communists for propaganda purposes - were mostly never aired, for the
large
part because for the Party's purposes, they were unusable. After Milada
Horakova's trial and execution, much of the material was subsequently
hidden away and and gradually forgotten. Until now. Not long ago, a
number of reels were uncovered by Czech Radio, dating back to the trial's
last
day. More
Letter from PragueRemembering a woman who was not for turning
It's fifty-five years ago this week that one of the most grotesque
show-trials in Stalinist Czechoslovakia began, a trial that exposed the
cruelty of the regime, but also revealed the true face of heroism.
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Czech MusicEncore: From the pastoral life to dead ladies: some intriguing recent Czech CDs
In Encore this week we review a recording of the "Eclogues" by a
Czech composer who was immensely influential in the early part of the 19th
century, Vaclav Jan Tomasek. We also discuss a CD of the Czech Trio playing
Suk, Dvorak and Martinu with great sensitivity, and there's a new
collection of recordings by Sona Cervena, who has had an incredible
career, beginning in music theatre with Voskovec and Werich, going to
stardom in opera in the West, and then working with such 'art rockers' as
Tom Waits and Lou Reed. Now, in her 80's, she is active as an actress.
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Current AffairsMPs agree on compensation for victims of 1968 Soviet-led invasion
Victims of the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of the former Czechoslovakia may
finally win compensation. The lower house of the Czech parliament has
approved a bill, now awaiting Senate approval, which would provide
compensation to relatives of those killed during the invasion, as well as
to those killed, raped or injured by Soviet or Warsaw Pact troops who
occupied the country until 1991. More
Talking PointDraft proposal hopes to see more victims of 1968 occupation compensated
On August 21, 1968, Warsaw Pact tank rolled into Czechoslovakia. As Soviet
troops shot at the radio building, Czechoslovak radio appealed for calm.
The invasion had come on direct order from Moscow to put an end to the
Prague Spring - the attempt by the Czechoslovak Communist Party, led by
Alexander Dubcek, to introduce "Communism with a human face", to
become more independent and loosen the tight grip of the Soviet Union.
Protests in the streets of Prague and other towns and cities, left dozens
of people dead and hundreds injured at the hands of the occupying troops.
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Czechs in HistoryMilada Horakova
It's time now for this week's edition of Czechs in History, and this week Nick Carey takes a look at the life of Milada Horakova, who was executed by the Communist regime in 1950.
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