Festival's News
Contact info
Address
28. rijna 124
70200 Ostrava 1
Czech Republic
http://www.janackuvmaj.cz
Info
Tel: +420 59 74 89 421
Fax: +420 59 74 89 422
festival@janackuvmaj.cz
http://www.janackuvmaj.cz
Administration
Tel: +420 59 74 89 421
Fax: +420 59 74 89 422
festival@janackuvmaj.cz
28. rijna 124
702 00 Ostrava
Czech republic
Accountancy
Tel: +420 59 74 89 421
Fax: +420 59 74 89 422
festival@janackuvmaj.cz
Janácek May International Music Festival
The Janacek May Festival is the top event of the musical life in the city of Ostrava. It brings to Ostrava artists and ensembles of the highest level, famous names as well as young talented ones. The festival is closely connected with a contest of composers "Generation" and one concert is always devoted to awarded works. A musicological conference "Janackiana" is a regular part of the festival since 1977.
This festival has been an EFA member since 1997.
Festival Programme
Each EFA member manages its own Calendar. In case there is no programme availabable for this year, please visit the festival's own website.
History
The tradition of the international music festival in Ostrava began on 8.5.1950 under the name the Ostrava May. In 1963 Janacek´s Sinfonietta was presented for the first time at the final concert of the festival. Since 1976 it has always opened the festival. Its performance has attracted a bigger more concentrated and more systematic interest in the interpretation of the works of the famous Leos Janacek born in a village Hukvaldy near Ostrava.
His other works have been presented in the further years of the festivals. This trend led to the renaming of the festival from Ostrava May to Janacek May in 1976 .At this time the festival was concentrated on works and artists of socialist countries of Eastern and Central Europe in accordance with the official politics.
Within the framework of the festivals from 1976 to 1989, Janacek´s works were presented regularly and in some cases his less known compositions also could have been heard. „Janáckiana“, the musicological conference also bears Janacek´s name. It started in 1977 and became an integral part of the festival reflecting Janacek´s topic as well as other musical science topics.
The nineties, above all, mean the opening of the festival to the world. The dramaturgy and choice of artists is liberalised, the festival takes part in artistic structures of the world. In the last ten years of its existence the Janacek May Festival has gained international renown.
Among others, its membership in the prestigious European Festival Association in Geneva indicates its good quality as well as its decisive role as the coordinator of the Music Festival Association in the Czech Republic. The Festival offers the audience at symphony and chamber concerts (and exceptionally operas) a choice of the best and most interesting works of music.
Thus, the festival acquired not only a wide range of spectators from Ostrava and the region, but also international prestige and support from the city, which is the main sponsor of the festival.
