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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251015T090000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260419T170000
DTSTAMP:20260411T215006
CREATED:20251014T160522Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251014T160522Z
UID:11721-1760518800-1776618000@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Sparks of Freedom
DESCRIPTION:Sparks of Freedom (Paprsky svobody) — that is the name of a new exhibition at Brno’s Moravian Museum. It tells how British academics and intellectuals reached across the Iron Curtain to support Czech dissidents in the 1980s\, focusing on the work of the Jan Hus Educational Foundation and the quiet acts of courage that helped keep independent thought alive under communist rule. \nThe curators of the Department of the History of Culture with an Anti-Totalitarian Focus (LINK) present the story of solidarity between the British and Brno people. Its roots date back to 1980\, when an organization called the Jan Hus Educational Foundation was established in Oxford\, which systematically provided material and intellectual support to Czechoslovak dissidents. In Brno\, co-operation began in 1981; in December 1984 the first seminar was held\, and mutual cooperation lasted without interruption until the Velvet Revolution. In 1990\, the Czechoslovak Jan Hus Educational Foundation was established in Brno\, which continues its activities under the name of the Vzdělávací nadace Jana Husa to this day. \nThe focuses on Brno events over five years in the second half of the 1980s. It presents important areas in which the British provided material and intellectual assistance to the unofficial cultural world in Brno. Thanks to the Jan Hus Educational Foundation\, British academics were able to come and give lectures in private households during the normalization period. The British also helped in the sphere of samizdat\, video projections of banned or unavailable foreign films in Czechoslovakia\, and supported independent Brno artists in the field of music and visual arts. The exhibition and the catalogue present topics that have not yet been given the attention they deserve. They reveal not only the blank spots of Brno’s cultural history\, but also the strong bonds of British-Czech cooperation in the persistent search for freedom. \nFor the full story see How Oxford philosophers supported Czech dissidents — new Brno exhibition tells the story | Radio Prague International \nBishop’s Courtyard\, Marble Hall \nOpening hours  \nWednesday to Friday 9am -5pm \nSaturday 10am-5pm \nSunday 1-5pm \n  \nphoto: Vít Pohanka\, Radio Prague International \n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/sparks-of-freedom/
LOCATION:Moravian Museum\, Muzejní 1\, Brno\, 659 37\, Czech Republic
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sparks-of-Freedom.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251101T000000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251130T233000
DTSTAMP:20260411T215006
CREATED:20251013T144921Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251013T144921Z
UID:11698-1761955200-1764545400@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Czech Film Classics
DESCRIPTION:Watch for free as part of a free trial BFI Player Subscription. To access your special offer\, simply visit player.bfi.org.uk/subscribe. Enter the code MadeinPrague25 to claim an additional free month and discover the greatest global cinema on demand. This offer is only available to audiences in the UK.    \n\nRedeem the offer by 30 November 2025\nYou’ll need to enter your payment card details as your subscription will automatically renew at the end of the free trial period unless you cancel beforehand\n\n\nThe Riders of the Sky\nJindřich Polák\, Czechoslovakia 1968\, 95‘\, English subtitles\nCast: Jiří Bednář\, Jiří Hrzán\, Svatopluk Matyáš\, Elsie Randolph\, Joan Seton \nDrawing on Filip Jánský’s novel and the real-life experiences of Czech RAF gunners\, this gripping black-and-white war drama follows a multinational bomber crew—Czech\, Slovak\, English\, and Canadian—navigating the daily perils of air raids over Germany. When Czech gunner Student is gravely injured during an attack on Nuremberg\, the crew confronts the human cost of war. Featuring authentic aerial footage and a haunting score\, including Ghost Riders in the Sky\, the film is both a thrilling and deeply personal portrayal of wartime aviation. Banned after the 1968 Soviet invasion\, it remains a striking tribute to unsung RAF heroes. \nEcce Homo Homolka\nJaroslav Papoušek\, Czechoslovakia 1969\, 83‘\, English subtitles\nCast: Josef Šebánek\, Marie Motlová\, František Husák\, Helena Růžičková\, Petr a Matěj Formanovi  \nThe final gem of the Czechoslovak New Wave\, Jaroslav Papoušek’s comedy\, follows a single summer day with the Homolka family: grandparents\, their son Ludva\, daughter-in-law Heduš\, and twin grandchildren. What begins as a simple countryside outing descends into chaos\, exposing petty quarrels and the absurdities of everyday life in 1960s Czechoslovakia. Papoušek’s razor-sharp wit\, keen social observation\, and mastery of situational humour bring these unforgettable characters to life\, while the mischievous Forman twins add lively spontaneity. Brimming with iconic dialogue\, comedic brilliance\, and subtle satire\, the film remains a timeless portrait of family\, materialism\, and human folly. \nThe White Disease\nHugo Haas\, Czechoslovakia 1937\, 105´\, English subtitles\nCast: Hugo Haas\, Zdeněk Štěpánek\, Karla Olicová\, Václav Vydra Sr. \nBased on Karel Čapek’s visionary play\, White Disease (1937) tells of a mysterious plague sweeping the world\, sparing no one—rich or poor. Only one man\, Dr. Galén\, holds the cure— but he will release it only if the leaders renounce war. His ultimatum collides with a ruthless dictator preparing for invasion\,— a thinly veiled portrait of Hitler and Nazi Germany. Banned in Czechoslovakia after the 1938 Munich Agreement\, the film remains uncannily relevant today: a tense thought-provoking parable where deadly disease and the lust for power intertwine. A forgotten classic that resonates as urgently now as on the eve of World War II. \n\n  \nPart of 29th Made in Prague Festival / Czech Centre London \n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/czech-film-classics/
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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251104T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251121T220000
DTSTAMP:20260411T215006
CREATED:20250413T165321Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250413T165321Z
UID:11059-1762284600-1763762400@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:The Makropolus Case
DESCRIPTION:Composed between 1923 and 1925\, The Makropulos Case (or The Makropulos Affair) is characterised by its unique\, modernist musical style that aligns closely with the opera’s dark and philosophical themes. Janáček’s score employs short and repetitive motifs that mirror the psychological tension and emotional complexity of the opera’s characters. Marked by sharp contrasts\, rhythmic irregularities and unexpected harmonies\, the music creates a soundscape that feels both unsettling and captivating – a synthesis that defines the mysterious character of Emilia Marty. Janáček’s innovative use of speech melodies – melodic lines that mimic the natural inflections of spoken language – contribute to the opera’s intense realism\, making the emotions of each character feel vivid and immediate. Speech melody can be found in much of Janáček’s other operas\, including his earlier-composed Jenůfa. \n\n\n\n\nEmilia Marty\, a famous and mysterious opera singer\, has lived for over 300 years thanks to an elixir of immortality. But when she becomes entangled in a battle to obtain a crucial document that will help her renew the life-extending formula\, she begins to grapple with the emptiness and isolation her centuries-long existence has brought her. \nIn its first-ever staging with The Royal Opera\, Janáček’s haunting and enigmatic masterpiece is reimagined through a contemporary lens by Katie Mitchell\, who explores what it means to love\, and at what cost. Ausrine Stundyte makes a welcome return to the house to sing the mysterious Emilia Marty\, whose immortality is both a gift and a curse. Music Director of The Royal Opera Jakub Hrůša conducts. \ngeneral booking opens 2 July 2025
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/the-makropolus-case/
LOCATION:Royal Opera House
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