Letter from Brno

Every two years since 2008, the city of Brno, Czech Republic’s second largest urban centre, has hosted the Janáček Brno Festival. The 2018 edition (Nov. 17-Dec. 5) ambitiously presented Leoš Janáček’s (1854-1928) complete works for the stage amongst a plethora of ancillary performances. In order to achieve this gargantuan task, opera companies and soloists were invited from throughout Europe to Brno, utilizing multiple venues across the city. The Festival is truly international in scope, attracting enthusiasts from all over the world—I noticed members of Janáček societies from the UK, Denmark, the US and the Netherlands—as well as proud local audiences. Opera productions ranged in scale from full-on spectacle to pared-down ‘modern,’ offering a full range of theatrical experience.

What makes the pilgrimage extra special is Janáček’s intrinsic connection to Brno. It is hard to turn a corner in this stunningly-post-communist-restored city without bumping into a building where the composer either worked or lived. From the attractive, tourist office housed in one of the city centre’s medieval structures, you can even purchase —a city guide that traces