Topic Archive Culture
My Neighbor, My Enemy : problems of coexistence
In this week’s Panorama :a play at Prague’s National Theatre highlights
the problems of coexistence between ethnic Czechs and the Roma minority,
Karlovy Vary protesting against too many foreign language signs, and, Czech
politicians make headlines from here to Belgrade. More
Lyricist Pavel Vrba - the man behind hundreds of Czech hits
This edition of Sunday Music show is dedicated to the poet and lyrics
writer Pavel Vrba who died last week at the age of 73. In a career spanning
over five decades, Mr Vrba authored lyrics to more than 2,000 songs. His
prolificacy along with a wide range of singers, musicians and bands he
worked with made his lyrics a phenomenon in the Czech pop culture. More
Filmmaking legend Otakar Vávra dies at 100
Czech filmmaking legend Otakar Vávra – who turned 100 earlier – has
died in Prague. Over the course of a remarkable career, Mr Vávra –
praised by many of the film elite – directed more than 50 films, from
early dramas to acclaimed projects in the 1960s like Witches’ Hammer. More
Czech Museum of Music celebrates Dvořák's 170th birthday
It’s September, and all other anniversaries aside, that means the
birthday season of the genius Antonín Dvořák. Had the Czech musical
maestro lived to his deserved age he would be 170-years-old this month,
and
music-lovers and –ologists are marking the occasion with all due
enthusiasm. Alongside the Dvořák festivals and radio tributes this month
there is also the uniquely interesting, interactive Dvořák exhibition at
the Czech Museum of Music (Karmelitská 2, Malá Strana), which is our
destination in this week’s Spotlight. More
New best-seller leads to speculation over author’s affair with former president Václav Havel
A novel titled “Secret Book” has been flying off the shelves in Czech
bookstores. In it, author Irena Obermannová describes her secret affair
with a figure that she refers to as “the greatest Czech.” The author is
known for her very open, often autobiographical style of writing – and
since the book’s male protagonist shares many traits with former
president Václav Havel, there is heated speculation over the veracity of
her account. Culture and society journalist Jana Ciglerová talks about the
juicy bestseller. More
Egon Hostovský, "a European among the sprinklers"
For Czechs, the 20th century was a turbulent time. Independent
Czechoslovakia was founded in 1918 only to later fall victim to the two
great tyrannies of modern history – Nazism and communism. Many Czechs
fled their country during the 20th century so that they could live as free
people, and often simply to save their lives. Wednesday marks the 100th
anniversary of the birth of Egon Hostovský, one of the most distinctive
and significant modern-day Czech writers, who fled his country twice, first
to escape the Nazis, and later the Communists. More
Eva Eislerová – Czech designer who reached top of jewellery world in NYC
The Czech artist and designer Eva Eislerová originally wanted to be an
architect. Instead, she became one of the most highly regarded makers of
art jewellery in the world, after emigrating to New York in the 1980s with
her half-Czech, half-English husband, John Eisler. Today Eva Eisler, as she
is known to her collectors, spends most of her time back home in Prague,
where she teaches at the metals department at the Academy of Arts,
Architecture and Design. More
Music from the Noughties
In this week’s Sunday Music Show we highlight some of brightest new rock
and pop acts in the Czech Republic. Listen to fresh tracks from Bek Ofis
and a brace by Prague funk outfit Monkey Business – as well as a classic
from the first winner of Czech Pop Idol. More
New York Czech centre head Pavla Niklová: Czech films are the biggest attraction
The heads of Czech cultural centres from around the world gathered in
Prague last week to share ideas and make plans for the future. I met up
with Pavla Niklová – head of the Czech centre in New York to talk about
the kind of events that are organized and how popular they are with the
public. More
“If I had been a boy, I would have been shot…” Part 9
We have reached the ninth and final part of our serialized reading of “If
I had been a boy, I would have been shot…” by Jaroslava Skleničková.
The war is over, and Jaroslava’s account takes us from the traumas of her
return to the present day, and her life with her husband Mirek in the new
Lidice. But first, David Vaughan sums up the story so far. More
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