This FOK Concert Makes a Splash Classical music, children, and water — perhaps an unlikely combination, but it definitely created waves as part of the Prague Symphony Orchestra (FOK’s) “elements” cycle for children, this one entitled “Water,” this past Saturday at the Municipal House. I couldn’t help but wonder how the musicians must feel getting “up” for a concert at 11 am on a Saturday. In addition to this being…
Tag: Frank Trollman
Wednesday, March 14, 2011: Music Can/Should Provoke…
When Music Can (Should) Provoke Few concerts have been as provocative as the Prague Symphony Orchestra (FOK) rendition of Vladimír Sommer’s 1958 Vocal Symphony for Mezzosoprano, Narrator, Choir and Orchestra performed Mar 8 at the Municipal House. In fact, in her Opus Osm article Mar 1 about the piece, Hana Škrdlová explains Sommer’s mostly politically-commissioned works are classified as “some of the most weighty” written by Czechs after 1945. The…
Tuesday, February 21, 2012: White Rabbits and Princesses
White Rabbits and Princesses: Fairy Tale Music What I really don’t need when I go to a concert are entertainers, in Czech called “moderators,” to hype an event and tell people what they should think and do. Unless they come dressed as white rabbits, that is. The Prague Philharmonia performed “Fairy Tales for Children” at the Rudolfinum Sun, Feb 12. Concert-goers were treated to an evening of wonderful music interspersed…
Friday, February 10, 2012: Time Out
Take Time Out to Catch Up on the News We’re pausing from our usual format just for today to share some positive, Opus Osm news: New! Archive! Look at the black bar at the top of every Opus Osm page – you’ll see the Archive tab. Click to find every article we’ve ever published, right from our very first issue of September 2010. Improved! Calendar! We’ve always had an Events…
Monday, February 6, 2012: Enchanting Opera
Enchanting Opera At first they wouldn’t let any of us into the National Theater through the front door. The front door is for sissies apparently, which we certainly were not. So we stood outside in the cold on the piazza in groups led by pretty young women wearing funny hats and holding sign posts. Then the Frogmen came. They yelled at us through loudspeakers in languages that can only be…
Tuesday, October 25, 2011:What He Said!
What He Said! (He Hates Ballet …?) On Oct 12 on Opus Osm you could read choreographer Jan Kodet’s amusing explanation of how most modern guys react to the ballet. He says that they only visit their first ballet as a result of a negotiated settlement with their girlfriends. But then the guys are surprised to find that they actually like ballet. Is it possible? Could Mr Kodet be right?…
