News

With this year’s closing concert, the Ullmann Festival returns “to its roots” – to Český Těšín, the birthplace of Viktor Ullmann, and to the Schomre Schabos synagogue, which has long been associated with the festival. The song recital Their Music Lives On will commemorate the music of composers who, like Ullmann, did not survive Nazi persecution. It will also feature music by two contemporary composers who were inspired by the fate of persecuted artists.

The concert will feature songs by Erwin Schulhoff (1894–1942) and Viktor Ullmann (1898–1944), as well as works by Karl Horwitz (1884–1925) – a Viennese composer whose song cycle was recently rediscovered by Irena Troupová and will be performed in its Czech premiere. The concert will also feature a composition by Rudolf Karl (1880–1945), a participant in the anti-Nazi resistance, as well as a musical setting of verses by the French poet and resistance fighter Robert Desnos (1900–1945) by the prominent contemporary Czech composer Sylva Smejkalová (1974). Last but not least, the concert will feature the world premiere of a composition for two voices and piano based on the poetry of Holocaust victims, commissioned by the festival and created by pianist and composer Jan Dušek (1985).

Program:

Erwin Schulhoff – Fünf Gesänge, op. 32
Jan Dušek – composition commissioned by the festival (world premiere)
Karl Horwitz – Sechs Gedichte, op. 4 (Czech premiere)
Rudolf Karel – V záři helénského slunce, op. 24
Sylva Smejkalová – A la faveur de la nuit (based on texts by Robert Desnos)
Viktor Ullmann – Fünf Liebeslieder von Ricarda Huch op. 2

Performing:

Irena Troupová – soprano
Ondřej Holub – tenor
Jan Dušek – piano

For more information, click here. To buy tickets in advance, click here.

26. 4. 2026 | 18:00 | Synagoga Schomre Schabos | Božkova 154/16, Český Těšín

As part of the companion programs to the exhibition Prague Anthroposophical Modernism 1907–1953 at the Rub Gallery in Olomouc, a concert entitled “It Is Hard to Leave Beauty” will take place on September 18 at 7 p.m., featuring songs by Viktor Ullmann inspired by anthroposophy and based on texts by Albert Steffen and other related poets.

Performing:

Irena Troupová – soprano
Jan Dušek – piano

After the concert, visitors will have the opportunity to view a newly published book accompanying the exhibition “Prague Anthroposophical Modernism 1907–1953,” which loosely accompanies the eponymous exhibitions at the Rub Gallery and the Gallery of Fine Arts in Cheb. It was launched on September 10 at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague at 5 p.m., accompanied by a short musical performance of songs by Viktor Ullmann, interpreted by soprano Irena Troupová and the Fama Q string trio.

The book is published by Arbor vitae in Prague in cooperation with the Rudolf Steiner Archive in Dornach, Rub Gallery Olomouc, and with the support of the Czech-German Future Fund, the City of Prague, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, and other generous partners.

18. 9. 2025 | 19:00 | Arcidiecézní muzeum Olomouc | Václavské náměstí 4, Olomouc

On Wednesday 28 May 2025 at 18:30, the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, a festive concert will take place in the Marble Hall of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Vienna. The concert will feature works by composers who made a significant contribution to the cultural life of pre-war Czechoslovakia. Many of them did not live to see their liberation and perished in the concentration camps.

Among the songs of the interwar avant-garde, that is, from the pens of Erwin Schulhoff, Pavel Bořkovec, Pavel Haas, Gideon Klein and Viktor Ullmann, is also included a touching piano cycle by Josef Suk, to whom the aforementioned referred admiringly, even calling him “the Mahler of Prague”, and whose compositions were performed more than once in Terezín.

28. 5. 2025 | 18:30 | Marmorsaal, Czech Embassy Vienna | Penzinger Straße 11-13, 1140 Wien

Marek Kopelent (28 April 1932 Prague – 12 March 2023 Prague) unfortunately did not live to see the publication of his memoirs. On 30 April we will have the opportunity to celebrate the launch of his long-prepared book „Ale je hudba…“ (“But there is music…”) in the presence of its editor Petr Onufer from the publishing house Argo, which published the book. Kopelent’s long-time friend Petr Pithart will serve as the book’s patron, and excerpts from the book will be read by Jáchym Topol.

The evening will be accompanied by a musical programme performed by Irena Troupová (vocals), Jiří Bárta (cello) and Vilém Veverka, who will also moderate the event.

We look forward to meeting you in the beautiful setting of the well-known functionalist villa Winternitz.

30. 4. 2025 | 18:00 | Winternitzova vila | Na Cihlářce 2092/10, Praha 5

Our Easter concert in Čelákovice will feature the exultant harmonies of the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, mainly by Baroque composers, but also the medieval passion lament of the Virgin Mary over the suffering of her crucified son. Mozart’s lovely melodies and Vivaldi’s passionate Alleluia from the famous cantata In furore iustissimae irae will not be missing either. All with harp and oboe accompaniment on Saturday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the Church of the Assumption of Mary.

Performing:

Irena Troupová ‒ soprano
Lydie Härtelová ‒ harp
David Prosek ‒ oboe

26. 04. 2025 | 18:30 | kostel Nanebevzetí Panny Marie | Kostelní 455, Čelákovice

Next week, once again contemporary music, this time in Ireland. In Cork, you can enjoy two concerts with compositions by Petr Kotík and Danny McCarthy. The concerts will be accompanied by lectures and interviews with the composers, including Czech composers Petr Kotík and Martin Smolka. In addition to the Ostrava Band and Irena Troupová, prominent soloists from London and Cork are featured.

Program (11.10.):

Martin Smolka – Oh, My Admired C-Minor
Donnchadh MacAodha – Music for Flute and a Two Handed Pianist
Petr Kotík – Many Many Women Plus I
Phill Niblock – Petr’s Charm

For more information about the concert at University College Cork click here. To find out more about The Guesthouse click here.

11. 10. 2024 | 13:10 | Aula Maxima, University College Cork | 60 College Rd, University College, Cork
13. 10. 2024 | 15:00 | The Guesthouse | 10 Chapel Street, Cork

The Sounds of Now Vienna Contemporary Music Festival presents a number of brand new works in a world premiere. On Thursday 25 July, we will hear, among others, the work Many Many Women Plus for flutes, soprano, bass-baritone and strings by composer and flutist Petr Kotík.

Performers:

Eric Lamb – flutes
Petr Kotík – flute
Irena Troupová – soprano
Harald Hieronymus Hein – bass baritone
Joel Diegert – saxophone
Adrián Artacho – electronics
Mivos Quartet (Olivia de Prato, Maya Bennardo, Victor Lowrie Tafoya, Nathan Watts)

For more information click here. Ollin Izek Foundation has published a retrospective of the festival on Instagram.

25. 7. 2024 | 16:00 | mdw Future Art Lab Concert Hall | Anton-von-Webern-Platz 1, Wien

On 29 March, the La Morra ensemble and Irena Troupová will perform a programme featuring Renaissance and early Baroque music at the Wawel Castle in Kraków. During an independent tour of the castle chambers, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy Polish lute music as well as compositions by Francesco Rognoni and Tarquinio Merula.

Performers:

Irena Troupová – soprano
Ivo Haun de Oliveira – vocal, lute
Michał Gondko – lute
Vojtěch Jakl – violin
Corina Marti – harpsichord

Towards nightfall, Les Traversées Baroques will perform Ziani’s sepolcro La morte vinta.

For more information and to buy tickets in advance, click here.

29. 3. 2024 | 20:30 | Wawel Royal Castle | Wawel 5, 31-001 Kraków

Just like last year, the Lieder Company in cooperation with Salsita s.r.o. enters the new year with a charity concert, this time in cooperation with SIRIRI o.p.s., an organization that provides extensive aid in the Central African Republic.

The concert will feature soprano Irena Troupová, mezzo-soprano Jana Hrochová, baritones Roman Janál and Vojtěch Šembera, and pianist Bohumír Stehlík.

The entire entrance fee will be donated to SIRIRI o.p.s. to support the dialysis centre in Bangui.

For more information and to purchase tickets for the concert in advance, click here.

28. 1. 2023 | 18:00 | Salsita Club | Štefánikova 25, Praha 5