International Conductors

James Litton
U.S.A.

Diane Loomer
Canada

Robert Sund
Sweden

Jaroslav Krcek
Czech Republic

2^nd International Boys and Men's Choral Festival
DAILY SCHEDULE
 

Monday, June 30 - Hradec Králové
- arrival in Hradec Králové
- welcome and check-in; evening meal
- welcoming activities
- opening ceremony concert (limited to Festival participants only)
 

Tuesday, July 1 - Hradec Králové
- small and large group rehearsals with guest conductors
- master classes
- leadership and recreational activities
- evening Festival Concert One
    • BONI PUERI, the Czech Boys Choir
    • American Boychoir
    • Amabile Boys & Men’s Choirs
    • Estonian National Opera Boys’ Choir
    • Ensemble Amarcord
 

Wednesday, July 2 - Hradec Králové
- small and large group rehearsals with guest conductors
- morning Festival Concert Two (limited to Festival participants only)
    • Children’s opera Brundibár
    • Ensemble Amarcord
- master classes
- leadership and recreational activities
- evening Festival Concert Three
    • St. Michael’s Choir School
    • Poznan Boys’ Choir
    • BONI PUERI - Young Men’s Ensemble
    • Bratislava Boys’ Choir
    • Chor Leoni
 

Thursday, July 3 – Hradec Králové, Prague
- small and large group rehearsals with guest conductors
- morning Festival Concert Four
    • The St. John’s Boys Choir
    • Tucson Boys & Young Men’s Choir
    • The American Boychoir Alumni Chorus
- free afternoon and evening for sightseeing in Prague
 

Friday, July 4 - Hradec Králové
- stage rehearsals with orchestra in Orchestra Hall
- leadership and recreational activities
- Festival Gala Concert One in Orchestra Hall, Hradec Králové
- evening picnic
- firework
 

Saturday, July 5 – Break-out Day
- free day for excursions in Bohemia
- free swimming pool available in the afternoon
 

Sunday, July 6 – Prague
- morning closing ceremony concert (limited to Festival participants only)
- stage rehearsals in Dvorak Hall
- Festival Gala Concert Two in Dvorak Hall, Rudolfinum, Prague
 

Monday, July 7 - Hradec Králové
– departures after breakfast
 

About Dvorák Hall, Rudolfinum in Prague

Between the wars, Rudolfinum was used as a parliament, but now it is used for its' original purpose - for concerts and art exhibitions. The big hall is called the Dvorak Hall, contained within and named after the great Czech composer, and is an unparalleled venue for concert-viewing and hosts many of the Prague Spring events. The small hall is called the Suk Hall and is mainly used for soloist vocal and instrumentals. The grandeur of the interior, the building as a whole and the high standard of the concerts themselves, make an evening here worthwhile.

The neo-renaissance Rudolfinum building is located on a site called Rejdi%u0161t%u011B. In 1873, this site was bought by the Czech Insurance Company (%u010Ceská spo%u0159itelna), with the goal to build there a House of Artists (D%u016Fm um%u011Blc%u016F) as part of the celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of its founding. Crown prince Rudolf of the Habsburgs became the patron of the project and the building was named after him. Well known Prague architects Ignác Ullmann, Antonín Barvitius, J. Zítek, J. Schulz a F. Bení%u0161ek, as well as Viennese architects A. Wieleman, O. Thienemann, G. Niemann, V. Lunche a Köchlin were invited to enter their bids towards the project competition. The winners - J. Schulz and J. Zítek - presented the first plans in the year 1875.

The facade is an analogy of the fire destroyed Semper Opera in Dresden (1838-41). The building was finished in the year 1881, the sculptures in the attic gable come from 1884 and during the same year the concert hall and the surrounding spaces were furnished. The inauguration concert was held on February 7, 1885 and in this year also began exhibitions in the adjacent building. The whole building of Rudolfinum underwent significant changes during the general reconstruction in the years 1990-92, according to the project by Karel Prager. During this reconstruction, the spaces used for concert activities were newly renovated.