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Current AffairsSunday marks 80th anniversary of birth of popular singer Jiri Slitr
This coming Sunday, February 15th, marks the 80th anniversary of the birth
of Jiri Slitr near the town of Semily in north Bohemia. Slitr was a man of
many talents: he was a singer, pianist, composer and actor, as well as a
qualified lawyer. His main love was jazz, and in his mid 20s he helped set
up a group called the Czechoslovak Dixieland Jazz Band.
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ArtsArts news, presentation of Czech Culture in Budapest
In this week's edition of the Arts, Dita Asiedu we'll be looking at a
presentation of Czech culture that is part of the International Cultural
Festival of Candidate Countries to the EU currently taking place in
Budapest, and two exhibitions in Prague that have been extended due to
public interest...
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One on OneKaterina Winterova - National Theatre actress AND award-winning singer
I'm joined today by Katerina Winterova (27), who is an actress at the
National Theatre in Prague. She also sings with the critically acclaimed
band Ecstasy of St Theresa, and last year was named female singer of the
year at the Czech music industry's Andel awards. Katerina, could I first
ask if you remember the first time you ever performed on a stage?
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Arts"Loners" team back with new film comedy "One Hand Can't Clap"
Released three years ago, "Loners" ("Samotari") was a
huge hit in the Czech Republic, particularly with the country's youth, who
also bought the film's soundtrack in large numbers. The charismatic
natural comic Jiri Machacek became a cult star for his portrayal of
"Loners'" perpetually stoned Jakub. I asked him if the fame he
experienced in the wake of the film's success had had a major impact on
his life.
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Press ReviewPress Review
The lottery fever gripping the nation makes headlines today, as does news
that teachers might strike for just one day instead of three, or perhaps
not strike at all. Also on the front pages today, two high-profile murder
cases - the killing of a priest by a seemingly unrepentant 29-year-old,
and news that a young married couple from Kutna Hora have admitted to
murdering eight elderly people for their money - the worst case of serial
murder in Czech criminal history.
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Press ReviewPress Review
The Pope praying for rain, a Greenpeace protest at a Czech chemical
factory, and Czech soldiers on guard against angry mobs in Iraq - all
feature prominently on today's front pages. MLADA FRONTA DNES has pictures
of Czech troops standing near burning tires, the result of local Iraqi
unrest on Sunday. In several incidents Czech soldiers received minor
injuries from stones thrown by local inhabitants. Worse was an incident in
which one Iraqi man - attempting to jump a vehicle leaving the Czech base
- slipped under the wheels and later died from his injuries.
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ArtsWaiting for a train among puppets
Masarykovo nadrazi train station in Prague is not exactly the most poetic
of places. You hardly raise your eyes to admire the beauty of the grand
Empire-style building from the times of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. You
rather watch your step and try to get on your train or out of the station
as quickly as possible in order to escape the noise of the slot machines
from the bars, loud pop music from the cheap eateries and the looks of the
people who usually hang around railway stations in big cities. But for a
couple of days in July, the central hall put on a more friendly face and
filled with sounds other than the usual noise of a railway station, the
screeching of metal against metal as the trains brake to a stop,
announcements on the public address system and people rushing by.
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Current AffairsSecond Prague Fringe Festival
Czech theatre buffs and visitors to Prague are in for a treat. The Czech
capital is currently hosting a marathon of cutting-edge theatre from
around the world -and there's something in it for everyone. The Prague
Fringe Festival - which was a huge success last summer - is back with an
exciting array of high quality theatre productions - non-verbal shows,
plays in Czech, English, and French as well as shows for children. Fringe
Festival director Steven Gove explains why he thought Prague was a good
venue for an international theatre festival.
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ArtsNational Theatre to produce new opera featuring Nagano golden victory
The National Theatre, next to the National Museum, is the biggest and most
famous cultural institution in the Czech Republic and a trip to Prague
would not be complete without an opera, ballet or theatre performance as
good quality entertainment is guaranteed. But to offer some variety to its
visitors, the National Theatre has decided to turn to something more
contemporary and feature an opera based on a sport that is close to many
Czechs' hearts - ice hockey.
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ArtsThe incredible story of the opera written at Terezin concentration camp
This Saturday, March 15, London's Opera Up Close company is holding the
premiere of their production of "the Kaiser of Atlantis"
("Der Kaiser von Atlantis"), which was written by Viktor Ullmann
with a libretto by Petr Kein. A Vienna-born Jew, Viktor Ullmann later took
Czech nationality, and was already well-known as a composer before being
sent to Terezin concentration camp in September 1942. It was there - in
the most incredible circumstances - that he wrote "the Kaiser of
Atlantis", before meeting his death in Auschwitz in October 1944.
When I spoke to Opera Up Close director Russell Plows in London last week,
he told me Viktor Ullmann was just one of many leading Czech Jewish
artists and musicians imprisoned at Terezin.
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