The Heart of the Tin Trunk, an Original Heritage Musical
Plan to attend an Original Heritage Musical, the Heart of the Tin Trunk in Round Top, July 30 – 31 and August 6 – 7. A preview performance was held at our Members and Friends Dinner here in Prague Hall in March and was a hit! Plan a day trip stopping for lunch or dinner after. Show times are 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Visit www.HeartOfTheTinTrunk.com for details. Call 979-250-1843 for tickets and information . Let us know if you plan to attend at czech@czechcenter.org. We’ll tell you what a great show it is, the story of Czech immigrants journey through Galveston to Fayette County.
A Visit to the Czech Center Museum Houston by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Mr. Karel Schwarzenberg
A Visit to the Czech Center Museum Houston by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Mr. Karel Schwarzenberg, at a Dinner and Reception on Sunday, May 29, 2011 was the highlight of the month, and it is believed to be a really good day for Houston, for Texas, and the USA as two historical events took place. The first event began in the Comenius Library in Pilsen Hall with the signing of a collaborative nuclear energy research effort between Texas A&M University officials Vice President Michael O’ Quinn,and Nuclear Power Institute of Texas A&M, including Professor Radek Skoda, the South Texas Project in Bay City, and the five Czech Nuclear Scientists representing five Universities in Prague, Pilsen and Brno. The presence of His Excellency First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Mr. Schwarzenberg, newly appointed US Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Norman Eisen, newly appointed Czech Ambassador to the US, Petr Gandalovic, our Texas Czech Honorary Consul General Raymond Snokhous and Louisiana Czech Honorary Consul General Ken Zezulka, besides numerous business people and glasses of champagne sealed this important moment for posterity and hopefully all good results for the future.
The second event proceeding from Pilsen Hall, the group went to a reception to Brno Gallery for pure Texas hors d’oeuvres and wine while the Minister toured every room including the outdoor Honor and Memorial Wall Courtyard, even interested in how our beautiful pink roses upfront were propagated from the time of my tiny seventeen-year-old immigrant grandmother, who brought a cutting of her family Rose from her Czech land via Galveston in the 1800’s. Mr. Minister entered the reception with great energy trying not to miss a personal handshake. You would think he was a Texan. Brno Gallery was filled with the piano repertoire of geophysicist Herman Vacca. Onto Prague hall with “Fanfare for a Prince” (He truly is Prince Karel of Schwarzenberg in all countries but the US and the Czech Republic!) performed by Boardmember Robert Dvorak and wife Donna. There is Entertaining and there is Entertaining, to entertain a Prince is to entertain! What a privilege and pleasure to be honored by a visit of this Mr. Minister. Long tall and friendly as any Texan ought to be, he looked great in the Stetson hat, belt and silver buckle, likewise Ambassador Gandalovic, presented them by our Consul General Snokhous.
Following the reception, we had an elegant dinner of completely Southwest-South Texas Cuisine including the wines. There was beautiful music, harp, piano and vocalists Robert Ermis and Christiana Gentry dressed in kroj. There was so much camaraderie, every table including Mr. Schwarzenberg’s, chatting with Roy and Mary Cullen, Hugh and Ann Roff, the Minister’s Chief of Staff, Katerina Weissova, Effie and Bill Rosene, Cora Sue and Harry Mach and Jack Loftis, all having a good time. Mr. Snokhous and Louisiana counterpart Mr. Ken Zezulka did the same with their new Ambassador tables. It was a great blend of Houstonians and people from abroad! An email from the Czech Embassy stated “The Minister greatly enjoyed the evening and was overwhelmed by the hospitality, touring extensively the Museum and touched by the collections you have there.” We were touched with his graciousness and by the remarks of the new Ambassadors. Incidentally, the wife of Astronaut Andrew Feustal presented our guest the Czech mole (Krtek) flying in space at that moment. Yes, you can find those darling Krteks in our Gift Shop.
Krtek available at Prague International Gifts Shop
Krtek, the Czechoslovak cartoon character invented by Zdeněk Miler in 1956, will be a passenger – in plush form – on the NASA space shuttle Endeavour when it goes on a 14-day mission. Astronaut Andrew Feustel – whose mother-in-law is from Znojmo, South Moravia – will take a 19-centimeter stuffed version of Krtek along with him as one of his allotted 0.68 kilograms of personal items.
http://www.ceskapozice.cz/en/news/society/krtek-hitch-ride-space-shuttle-endeavour He is taking good care-of Astronaut Andrew Feustel and he should also take care-of you. This cuddly mole will be sold at Prague International Gifts Shop, inside the exquisite Czech Center Museum Houston for a limited time. This keepsake is a special Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Graduation gift. What perfect timing just following the Easter Bunny, that the Krtek Mole arrives in Houston! If you need to drop any fluff, then drop those Cadbury Eggs and bring home the perfect Post-Easter treat, a Czech Mole!
The Bartered Bride
Bartered Bride Picture On Saturday, March 27, 2010 the Bartered Bride will be entertaining us all at our Sixteenth Annual Members Friends Reception.
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Reception and Cash Bar in Brno Gallery at Czech Center Museum Houston.
7:00 p.m. prologue given by Dr. Paula Horner, UNTD Opera Director
7:30 p.m. Commencement of The Bartered Bride directed by University of North Texas’ Dr. Tom Sovik. RSVP with pre-payment required to Colleen: colleen@czechcenter.org
Tickets: $ 35.00 General Admission Open Seating, Cash Bar
(Limited Seating)
$ 75.00 Wings Orchestra Seating w/Open Bar
$100.00 Front Row Box Seating w/Open Bar
New Czech Film: Protektor
Photo: Falcon
Protektor, a new feature length film directed by Marek Najbrt, has recently been announced as the Czech Republic’s official submission for the foreign language Oscar. Already critically acclaimed both in the Czech Republic and the United States, Protektor focuses on the complex relationships that arose during the Nazi occupation of the Czech Republic during WWII. According to producer Pavel Strnad the two ideas they were most interested in working with from the outset were the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in Prague and the plight of a radio employee. For more information check out these articles in Reuters and Radio Praha.
Combine Wine Harvester
While our CCMH management was in the Czech Republic, they sent back this report: “The first few days were absolutely beautiful. The wine harvest is in full swing. Our friends have bought a mechanical combine wine vine harvester and it is a remarkable machine which replaces what twelve pickers can do in three days in a matter of hours. It cost about $350K and there are only three in the CR.” The wine industry in the Czech Republic is robust, with the reputation of having some of the best wines in Central Europe. 96% of the country’s wines come from Southern Moravia where the sunny climate is most ideal for cultivation and a modern approach is taken to this traditional craft. The Czech Prince Bořivoj is credited with planting the first vineyards in the area during the 13th and 14th centuries. Today, thanks to an influx of new vineyards since 2001, Czech wine production could jump from 580,000 hectoliters to 750,000 hectoliters.
For more information on Czech wines and tourist opportunities associated with the wine industry visit http://www.czech.cz/en/current-affairs/tourism-and-sports/reds-and-whites
Four Operas in July
This scene from Bedrich Smetana's "The Bartered Bride" is also featured on CCMH's August 1, 2009 Gala invitation.
July 9-12, Kingwood College Opera Workshop will present Forbidden Love: Barber of Seville (Rossini), Der Rosenkavalier (Strauss), Signor Deluso (Pasoteiri) and The Bartered Bride (Czech Comic Opera by Bedrich Smetana, 1866)
What an opportunity and in English! This delightful compilation includes famous arias from the first three and The Bartered Bride in its entirety. For more information contact 281-312-1532 or kingwood@lonestar.edu.
Additional great news is this program will be performed at the Czech Center Museum Houston Prague Hall September 17 and 18 with reception following to join with singers, actors, musicians and production team celebrating this first performance of Smetana’s famous Czech comedic opera The Bartered Bride in Houston.
In March 2010 we will be blessed again for The Bartered Bride performance in Czech at CCMH by University of North Texas Denton Music Department with some narration in English.
Floods in the Czech Republic
It can certainly rain and flood in the Czech Republic just as in Houston!
Unfortunately a state of emergency has been declared as a flash flood swept through Moravia last night.
Photo from CTK
Hundreds of people were evacuated from the towns of Nový Jičín and Jeseník nad Odrou and so far ten have died. In 1997 this region was hit by a devastating flood that claimed 50 lives.
Let’s keep those families affected by this trama in our prayers in the coming week.
“Life is Just an Accident”
An interesting exhibition that was just brought to our attention yesterday on Jaroslav Jezek, a distinctive and pioneering Czech composer from
Composer Jaroslav Jezek, 1906 Praha - 1942 New York
between the wars. Originally put together for the Czech National Museum in 2006 to mark Jezek’s anniversary, we are fortunate to now have the exhibition touring in the U.S. There are four main topics of the exhibition include Jezek’s childhood and youth, his work in classical music, his activities associated with the Liberated Theatre, and his life in the U.S. An addition to the American version of the exhibition will be a new documentary about Jaroslav Jezek made by Czech Television. Currently you can find this exhibition at the Czech Center in New York.
Jezek worked with Czech legends George Voskovec and Jan Werich, who were also involved in Osvobozene divadlo (Liberated Theatre). He was innovative in his creation of a modern type of instrumental setting in his works for piano and in his approach to applied genres where he was a founder of the tradition of the modern Czech dance song as well as the political song. Futhermore, in the field of jazz he could match any of the leading international figures of his day, although sadly he was only recognized abroad after his death in 1942.
We are always looking for Czech activities and exhibitions in the U.S. and abroad so if you have any news, please don’t hesitate to contact the Czech Center Museum Houston at events@czechcenter.org.
Thanks!
Czech Finances & a New Store
According to Reuters, although some Czech Banks might suffer losses, overall the Czech bank system should be able to “withstand all projected scenarios.” The reason for Czech banks’ ability to survive the current international recession without bailout or collapse is the “country’s high levels of savings, high capital adequacy, very small holdings of toxic assets and small borrowing in foreign currencies.” (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/8560688)
Czech National Bank in Prague
Unfortunately, this good news for the banks does not extend to the manufacturing sector in the Czech Republic where unemployment has currently risen by 20,064 job seekers since February. That is a 112,615 increase in job seekers from this same time, March 31, last year.
This image, from the Prague Post, shows geographic unemployment trends in the Czech Republic.
On a lighter note but along the same vein of responses to the current economic climate, the Czech Center Museum Houston is seeing some good headway on the Annex Building located directly behind us at 4917 Fannin. Just this morning Merck Construction came to install a new ceiling, which will embellish the overall look of the interior. We are almost there!
The Center purchased the property for future expansion however in the meantime must find a more productive use for the property. It was proposed to and approved by the Board of Directors to use the building to establish an upscale antiques, vintage, new and used retail shop. Many have said how apropos this is to the present economic times.
We are of course dependent on donations for our inventory, so if you have any collectibles, china, pottery, antiques, select clothes, jewelry, books, toys, household items, tools, yard and garden furniture or tools in good condition do let us know. Upon doing this, an IRS document will be forwarded to you.
Keep checking back for pictures so that you can see our progress (unfortunately I forgot my camera today…).
Thanks!
