Polička to Host Zažít Martinů Festival Celebrating Composer Bohuslav Martinů
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From Thursday, August 27 to Sunday, August 30, the Czech town of Polička will host the Zažít Martinů 2026 festival, dedicated to the life and work of the celebrated composer Bohuslav Martinů. According to the organizers, this year's programme is united for the first time under a single theme, "Melodies of Home," reflecting the two great wellsprings of the composer's inspiration — the folk songs of his childhood and his beloved Vysočina homeland, to which Martinů returned in spirit throughout his life, even though he spent most of it abroad.
The festival kicks off on Thursday evening with the concert "Echoes (Not Only) from Japan" at the Baroque Town Hall, featuring Japanese musicians led by pianist Yukiko Sawa, chair of the Bohuslav Martinů Society in Japan. On Friday, the town museum will open the exhibition "Echoes of Home," showcasing works from the collection of the Poličky Town Museum and Gallery, followed by the chamber concert "Of Rose and Rosemary," featuring songs by Czech composers set to Moravian folk poetry. The evening will close with an open-air screening of the new documentary "Kaprálová" by director Petr Zaruba, with the filmmakers in attendance.
A Packed Saturday for the Whole Family
Saturday promises to be the busiest day of the festival: representatives of organizations dedicated to preserving Martinů's legacy will symbolically unveil the newly renovated square named after the composer. During the day, visitors can join the musical-movement workshop "Living Traditions" and the creative workshop "A Composer for a Moment," designed for children. On Bohuslav Martinů Square, from 4:30 to 6:30 PM, guests can enjoy the "awakening of the well," poetic dance interludes, creative activities inspired by the composer's life, a French picnic with live music in memory of Martinů's years in Paris, and a guided tour with the square's architect.
The festival's highlight will be the gala concert at Tyl House at 7:00 PM: the Vernum 2013 Ensemble will perform a staged production of the "Vysočina Cantatas," including "The Opening of the Wells," "The Romance of the Dandelions," "The Legend of the Potato-Leaf Smoke," and "Mikeš of the Mountains." It was at Tyl House that "The Opening of the Wells" received its world premiere.
Sunday Programme and the Composer's Museum
On Sunday at 11:00 AM, St. Michael's Church in Poličce will host the concert "Tones of the Future," featuring the most talented young students of the local Bohuslav Martinů Music School, accompanied by their teachers.
Throughout the festival, costumed tours will run through Bohuslav Martinů's childhood room in the tower of St. James's Church, 36 metres above ground — where young "Bohoušek," together with his sister Marie, tells visitors about everyday family life in the modest flat where the future composer grew up. The permanent exhibition of the Bohuslav Martinů Centre, devoted to the life and work of one of the most significant Czech composers, will also be open to visitors.
Read also: From Dinosaurs to Kafka: 7 Must-See Museums in Prague
Around Prague, based on reporting by kudyznudy.cz
