Prague is almost synonymous with music. Next month, the internationally-renowned Prague Spring International Music Festival will begin, with classical concerts of all kinds being performed by soloists and orchestras from across the globe. Music fans from all over the globe will also descend on Prague, as the city takes on a festive spring atmosphere.
Prague Proms is another great musical event. This year, Branford Marsalis, the famous jazz musician, will perform a classical repertoire. The Czechs love jazz, too, even though it was forced underground - both literally and figuratively - during the communist years. Today, Prague's jazz cellars still remain, but many musicians have come out into the light, too, performing regularly on the Charles Bridge and on Old Town Square. One of the most famous films about music, "Amadeus," was filmed here in the gray communist days. And the subject of the film, the composer Mozart, spent much time in Prague. In fact, the world premier of his opera, "Don Giovanni" took place here in the Estates Theater in 1787. Originally a private theater, this intimate space served as the Vienna Opera in "Amadeus." Mozart himself conducted the house orchestra at the Estates at his "Don Giovanni" premier, and in the same year, he played the organ at St. Nicholas Church in Mala Strana.
The Czech Republic has also produced many famous composers, such as Antonin Dvorak and Bedrich Smetana. The Dvorak and Smetana museums in Prague, respectively, are worth visiting. The Czech Philharmonic Opera, currently conducted by Jiri Belohlavek, is top quality.
In addition to great composers and performers, you can still find shops around town where old masters craft violins and other instruments by hand, though these are sadly fading away.
So, if you are a music lover, you will love Prague. And even if you can't be here during one of the big music festivals, there are concerts daily at many churches, libraries and other smaller venues around town. We offer Concierge Services to help you find great concerts and buy tickets. If you're coming to Prague and want to treat your ears, contact Exclusive Prague Tours and we can surely find something special for you to enjo
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Welcome to “The Prague Blog.” In its pages I’d like to introduce you to one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Though of course I might be biased, if you’ve ever visited Prague, you’ll know that my opinion is not completely without some (or a lot of) objective basis and merit. And if you’ve not yet been to Prague, I hope you’ll have the chance to visit one day and be struck by the city’s beauty, as I was the first time I visited here more than two decades ago. Prague’s attraction doesn’t stem solely from its beauty. It has a mystery that can be felt as you wander through its winding medieval streets. And the rich history of Prague is another thing that surprises many first-time visitors. From the Old Town to the Malá Strana to the Jewish Quarter, history seems to leap from every cobblestone you tread upon. I’m an American who has lived and worked in Prague for more than two decades. Prague’s pull on me was so strong that after my first stay for a holiday in the summer of 1990, the first summer after the Berlin Wall fell, I vowed to return – to live. And I did. It took some time and some doing, but I moved here in 1992 and never left (except for a few years in the late 1990s when I relocated to Washington, DC, during my tenure at the World Bank). I have lived, loved and experienced Prague on many levels and in its many aspects. I’ve walked her streets over and over, never tiring of seeing the same gorgeous Baroque palace multiple times or marveling at the views as I cross the 700-year-old Gothic Charles Bridge for the umpteenth time. I’ve studied Prague’s history, met her people and heard their stories and their music.
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AuthorI am an American who has been living in Prague for two decades. After a long career in international finance, I left the business world to pursue other interests. I now work as a writer, mentor and guide to the city. Archives
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