The program is dedicated to a highly important person in the history of the Czech state. It is a pity that this monarch was forgotten in the survey about the greatest Czech person. He was preceded by the Father of the Nation Charles IV and Jára Cimrman (Czech fictional polymath). The program selection is based on one of the most important foundations of King Wenceslas II, the foundation of the Cistercian monastery in Zbraslav called Aula Regia (Royal Hall).

Tonight, we will discover the musical thinking of the western monkhood adopted and developed by the chapters of all the important cultural and cleric centres. The metropolitan chapter of the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague bore witness to that. By means of authentic words (recitation of passages from poems from the Zbraslav Chronicle) and music (Bohemian choral works based on the Gregorian chant and early polyphony) we will present the important moments in the life of Wenceslas II. This monarch significantly contributed to the renewal and continuity of the Bohemian state after the interregnum and forced administration of the Brandenburgers. In this way we will also remember the 100^th anniversary of our republic whose famous history should be part of general knowledge.

No intermission

The female chamber vocal ensemble Schola Benedicta was founded in 1997 by Jiří Hodina. After a longer period of inactivity, the ensemble comes back to life on the occasion of the International Music Festival Český Krumlov 2019 with new members. The ensemble specializes in the interpretation of music of the Middle Ages, especially the Gregorian chant, as part of liturgy and concert activities. Besides the concert activities in the Czech Republic the ensemble has also participated in many festivals of the Gregorian chant. When the first recording of the ensemble Schola Benedicta titled Václav II. (Wenceslas II) was released, it offered a respectable antipole to the concept of the Gregorian chant as we know it from the interpretation by Schola Gregoriana Pragensis perhaps for the first time in history. In the case of the choral, the timbre of the sound represents one of the key principles. The sound of the Schola Benedicta ensemble is soft in unison, yet colourful and fresh, sparkling in the early forms of polyphony, in the tense passages almost intoxicating. The members of the ensemble are graduates of conservatories and attendants of interpretation internships both in the Czech Republic and abroad. Their artistic repertoire includes not only old music but a complete spectrum of music genres (Collegium Marianum, Ensemble Lunaris, Philokallia ensemble, I Dilettanti, Jablkoň, Pražská katedrální schola etc.). In today’s program the ensemble follows up on the tradition of liturgical books from the middle of the 13^th century from the scriptorium of the St. Vitus chapter of Prague Castle. Petr Žitavský, the author of “Zbraslavská kronika” (“Zbraslav Chronicle”) and the second abbot of the monastery, is the author of the majority of the recited texts.

Actor and director Jakub Doubrava graduated from acting at the Music and Dance Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague in the Department of Alternative and Puppet Theatre under the leadership of J. Schmid. He created author performances Pan Nula (Mr. Zero), 1203 and Není mi smutno (I Am Not Sad, directed by J. Havelka) in Studio Ypsilon. He cooperated with the theatre Continuo (Kratochvílení ´98, ´99), Blast Theory (Desert Rain), Mamapapa (Demolice – as part of the “4+4 Dny v pohybu” festival). He attended a two-month movement and light design workshop in Berlin (MAPA Caravan Tour) and cooperated with the National Theatre Opera on the performance Blumfeld as part of the “Bušení do železné opony” (“Banging on the Iron Curtain”) project. He led the author workshop “Space, object, person” in Helsinki in cooperation with the Reality Research Centre. He cooperated with the puppet ensemble Karromato (CZ, ESP), Kvelb (České Budějovice) and created author performances Ragnarök, FÓR for ty, Pohádka Perníková chaloupka (The Story of Hansel and Gretel), Karkulka červená (Little Red Riding Hood), Lišák Liška. He played the lead role in the film Kousek Nebe (A Little Piece of Heaven, directed by Petr Nikolaev). He worked for the Czech Radio in České Budějovice as the director of literary programs. He plays as a guest at the South Bohemian Theatre in the play Saturnin. He founded the band KABARET KAJBAR and is still active there at present.  He worked for the charitable organization Bazilika (festival “Příjemné setkání” and “Lugnasad”) as an external co-operator. He is the author of public programs “Četba na přání” (“Request Reading”), which took place in C.K. Solnice (České Budějovice) and Café Jednorožec (Klatovy). He is a jury member at recitation and theatre competitions. He works for Zdravotní klaun o.s. He is the director of literary programs in the Czech Radio in Pilsen.