About us
Organiser
Collegium Marianum - Týnská škola
Vodičkova 700/32, Praha 1
+420 224 229 462
Collegium Marianum, a foremost Czech ensemble focussing on the interpretation of early music, launches the 23rd season of its concert cycle Baroque Soirées. The programming director of the series is Jana Semerádová, a brilliant flutist, musicologist and the artistic director of ensemble Collegium Marianum.
Thanks to its thematic programming and a careful choice of concert venues, the cycle is one of the most original contributions to Prague’s musical culture. The concerts take place in historical locations, stylistically and acoustically relevant for the historical repertoire. The programme consists of famous and lesser-known treasures of the musical past, performed on period instruments by leading specialists in the field.
Collegium Marianum
centre of historical performing arts
The project is organized and guaranteed by a distinguished Prague institution in the field of music performance and education, Collegium Marianum. Since its foundation in 1990, Collegium Marianum has been focussing on introducing Early-Music heritage to the wider public and on providing education in the area of historical performance practice and art restoration. Collegium Marianum is a continuation of the ideals of the historic educational organizations of Prague’s Old Town, namely the Latin Týn School, founded in the 13th century, and the Reček University College founded in 1438.
Throughout the year, Collegium Marianum organizes a number of performances and educational events, in collaboration with renowned specialists and some of the foremost representatives of the world Early-Music scene. Since 1992, Collegium Marianum has been providing an accredited university-level study programme – a BA-degree study programme in the fields of Church-Choir Conducting and Historical performance practice, organized in collaboration with the Pedagogical Faculty of Charles University.
The core of its cultural activities has been the Summer Festivities of Early Music international music festival (since 2000) and the concert series Baroque soirées (since 2001). Both events have been appreciated on international scale for the high level of artistic performance and the innovative, thematic programming, focussing on the music of the 13th through 18th centuries. One of the festival’s prerogatives has been the crossover to the field of Renaissance and Baroque theatre and the careful choice of historical venues of Prague palaces and churches, relevant to the aesthetic and acoustic requirements of the performed repertoire. The festival is a member of the prestigious European Early Music Network.
The Baroque Soirées offer regular performances of rare musical and scenic programs. The singularity of the series lies in the innovative dramaturgy and the high professional quality of performance (not only owing to the participation of artists from abroad, but thanks also to the internationally acclaimed ensemble in residence, Collegium Marianum).
Both projects are an important contribution to the cultural scene in Prague and have met with high critical acclaim.