This year, the Smetana Litomyšl Festival will offer two exceptional evenings featuring works by Bohuslav Martinů in versions that rarely appear on concert stages.

On Friday, June 19, an extraordinary event awaits the audience – a concert performance of the recently published first version of the opera Mariken z Nimègue, presented by the Prague Symphony Orchestra (FOK) conducted by Tomáš Netopil. Four days later, on June 23, the 2nd Castle Courtyard will resound with a grand showcase of opera choruses, featuring among others a selection from the opera The Miracles of Mary (Hry o Marii).

© Alena Hrbková

FOK | Mariken z Nimègue Friday, June 19, 2026, 19:30 2nd Castle Courtyard, Litomyšl

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6 in F major "Pastoral", Op. 68
Bohuslav MARTINŮ: Mariken z Nimègue, H 236/2 I – first version of the opera in a concert performance

Prague Symphony Orchestra (FOK) Tomáš Netopil (conductor) Prague Philharmonic Choir Lukáš Kozubík (chorus master) Simona Šaturová (Mariken) Jiří Brückler (Devil) Bella Adamova (Virgin Mary) Daniel Matoušek (Mascaron) Pavel Švingr (Son of God) Vladimír Polívka (narrator)

More information here: https://smetanovalitomysl.cz/udalosti/bohuslav-martinu-mariken-operni-objev/

PRAGUE PHILHARMONIC CHOIR | OPERA CHORUS SHOWCASE Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 19:30 2nd Castle Courtyard, Litomyšl

Bohuslav MARTINŮ: The Miracles of Mary (Hry o Marii), H 236
Leoš JANÁČEK: Jenůfa (Její pastorkyňa)
Antonín DVOŘÁK: Rusalka
Bedřich SMETANA: The Bartered Bride, The Brandenburgers in Bohemia, The Kiss, The Secret, The Two Widows, Dalibor

Prague Philharmonic Choir Prague Philharmonia Lukáš Vasilek (conductor) Veronika Rovná (soprano) Pavel Švingr (bass) Marek Šulc (narration/presentation)

Smetana's opera choruses… AND MORE! An attractive concert presenting a cross-section of the most famous choral scenes from the operas of Bohuslav Martinů, Leoš Janáček, Antonín Dvořák, and as many as six stage works by Bedřich Smetana.

The Prague Philharmonic Choir and the Prague Philharmonia orchestra, under the direction of Lukáš Vasilek, one of the most prominent contemporary Czech chorus masters and conductors, will present the choir as the main storyteller—from The Bartered Bride through the mysticism of The Miracles of Mary to Janáček's Jenůfa. Solo roles will be performed by Veronika Rovná and Pavel Švingr, with the evening hosted by the festival's artistic director, Marek Šulc.

More information: https://smetanovalitomysl.cz/udalosti/smetanovy-operni-sbory-nejen/

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Martinů twice at Smetana's Litomyšl