BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//British Czech and Slovak Association - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:British Czech and Slovak Association X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk X-WR-CALDESC:Events for British Czech and Slovak Association REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20180325T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20181028T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20190331T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20191027T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20200329T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20201025T010000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191110T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191110T200000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091625 CREATED:20191013T100952Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191013T100952Z UID:3304-1573408800-1573416000@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Karel\, Me and You DESCRIPTION:Humorous\, spontaneous dialogues\, acutely observed situations and natural performances fuel fresh film energy into this conversation based film revolving around Sasa\, Karel and Dusan. Sasa moves in with her friend Dusan when taking a break on her marriage to Karel which seemed to have fizzled out. While providing a support\, and a sound board to their hopes and concerns\, Dusan fumbles through his own love life. \nSuccessfully evoking long debates with a best friend while providing a testimony to threatening uncertainties and similarly threatening assurances related to all relationships\, this surprising indie debut authentically portrays the world of thirty-somethings\, who seek\, find and sometime also lose their friends and life partners. \nBohdan Karasek\, Czech Republic 2018\, English subtitles\nCast: Jenovefa Bokova\, Miroslav Faderholz\, Miloslav Konig \nTickets £12/11 see link below to book \nPart of 23rd Made in Prague Film Festival URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/karel-me-and-you/ LOCATION:Regent Street Cinema\, 307 Regent Street\, London\, W1B 2HW END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191110T160000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191110T173000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091625 CREATED:20191013T101820Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191013T101820Z UID:3309-1573401600-1573407000@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:The Best of Czech Animation 2015 - 2019 DESCRIPTION:Cherry-picked from the Venice\, Berlin and Annecy International Film Festivals\, including the winner of the 2019 Student Academy Awards\, this selection showcases the best Czech animations from FAMU\, one of the top international film schools. \nThe animated black comedy Happy End offers an overview of stereotypical Czech characters while The Kite is a touching tale of a boy and his grandfather and Hide N Seek pulls the viewer into the surreal world of the human subconscious. The puppet drama Daughter about a strained father/daughter relationship and the limits of mutual understanding contrasts with the animated documentary Apart dealing with life after the loss of loved ones and the contemplation of womanhood in Woman’s Day while Bloody Fairytales transforms classic tales into an homage to the movies of both Lotte Reiniger and Quentin Tarantino. \nVarious\, CZ — FAMU 2015 — 2019 \nTickets £12/11 see link below to book \nPart of 23rd Made in Prague Film Festival URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/the-best-of-czech-animation-2015-2019/ LOCATION:Regent Street Cinema\, 307 Regent Street\, London\, W1B 2HW END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191110T140000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191110T151500 DTSTAMP:20260507T091625 CREATED:20191013T102545Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191013T102845Z UID:3312-1573394400-1573398900@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Great Adventure of the Lucky Four DESCRIPTION:The Lucky Four – Fifinka\, Pinda\, Bobík and Myspulin – live in a small house in the picturesque village of Treskoprsky. One cosy night\, sitting around a camp fire in their garden\, they share stories of the best adventures they had last year: a successful climbing trip to the Devil’s Thumb\, tracking a mysterious werewolf\, a trip to outer space full of rubbish and pirates\, and delivering presents to the devil’s children on St Nicholas’s Day. \nWhile faithful to the original style\, mystical creatures\, pirates and local villain Kamil Zadrhel together with Myspulin’s wonderful inventions refresh these four short stories with new thrills and frights suitable even for preschool children. Inspired by the most famous of Czech comics for children\, this is a 50th anniversary present for the Lucky Four’s many generations of fans. \nMichal Zabka\, Czech Republic 2019 \nCast: Tereza Bebarova\, Jan Maxian\, Bohdan Tuma\, Jiri Ployhar ml.\, Miroslav Taborsky\, Jiri Lábus \nTickets £12/11\, children £6 see link below to book \nFollowed by a children’s art workshop URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/great-adventure-of-the-lucky-four/ LOCATION:Regent Street Cinema\, 307 Regent Street\, London\, W1B 2HW END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191109T201000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191109T213500 DTSTAMP:20260507T091625 CREATED:20191014T180624Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191014T180624Z UID:3316-1573330200-1573335300@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Old-Timers + Q&A DESCRIPTION:with actor Jiri Schmitzer and directors Martin Dusek and Ondrej Provaznik. \nVlasta and Tonda\, WWII veterans and ex political prisoners\, now elderly and infirm\, have one last mission – to find and kill the communist prosecutor who once jailed them and escaped justice. Gearing up for the job with an old pistol and a rusty camper-van\, the would-be assassins set off on a cross-country vengeance trip accompanied by Tonda´s beloved dogs. \nDeploying a grumpy old man act\, their age and Vlasta´s wheelchair to manipulate the authorities and their caring families\, they try to right old wrongs. As Vlasta says: “You can’t piss all over the truth”. Full of oddball humour and empathy for the unlikely heroes fighting for justice\, this bitter comedy with excellent performances successfully combines a road movie with a revenge thriller. \nMartin Dusek\, Ondrej Provaznik\, Czech Republic/Slovakia 2019\, English subtitles\nCast: Jiri Schmitzer\, Ladislav Mrkvicka\, Dusan Kapralik\, Milena Steinmasslova\, Michal Suchanek \nTickets £12/11 see link below to book \nPart of 23rd Made in Prague Film Festival URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/old-timers-qa/ LOCATION:Regent Street Cinema\, 307 Regent Street\, London\, W1B 2HW END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191109T182000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191109T195000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091625 CREATED:20191014T181424Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191014T182454Z UID:3320-1573323600-1573329000@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Let There be Light DESCRIPTION:A winner of the best actor award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and Slovakia’s entry for the Oscars. \nIt is Christmas\, and Milan\, who’s been working in Germany to provide a better life for his family\, returns home to discover that his prolonged absence has taken its toil. His eldest son is now a member of a paramilitary youth group\, and is involved in the death of a class-mate. As he starts to investigate\, pressuring his son\, he calls into question the deep-rooted traditions of his faith and village realising that he must overcome his own failings before he can protect his son from being led astray. \nThis excellent compelling drama about the strength and fragility of family ties addresses the far-right extremism through the prism of a family raising its children in the prevailing culture of xenophobic hate. \nMarko Skop\, SK / CZ 2019\, English subtitles\nCast: Milan Ondrik\, Frantisek Beles\, Zuzana Konecna\, Lubomir Paulovic \nTickets £12/11 see link below to book \nPart of 23rd Made in Prague Film Festival URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/let-there-be-light/ LOCATION:Regent Street Cinema\, 307 Regent Street\, London\, W1B 2HW END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191109T160000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191109T174500 DTSTAMP:20260507T091625 CREATED:20191014T182334Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191014T182334Z UID:3323-1573315200-1573321500@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Jiri Suchy - Tackling Life with Ease DESCRIPTION:A celebration of the life and work of Jiri Suchy\, performer\, singer-songwriter\, writer\, composer and poet whose songs and plays span generations and who has become a Czech national icon. \nDirector Olga Sommerova looks back at the more than 60 years of Suchy’s creative life associated with his legendary Prague Semafor theatre and inspired by Laurel & Hardy\, Czech theatre gurus Voskovec & Werich and British comedian George Formby. Playing the accordion\, reading his funny stories and poetic texts full of surprising rhymes\, Suchy is an engaging\, gossipy presence\, enjoying the good times with gusto\, not concentrating on the bad ones for long. \nThis is a portrait of a man full of humility who has dedicated his life to the theatre and music and who\, despite his struggles with the Communist regime and personal tragedies\, has never lost his optimism and humour. \nOlga Sommerova\, Czech Republic 2019 \nTickets £12/11 see link below to book \nPart of 23rd Made in Prague Film Festival URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/jiri-suchy-tackling-life-with-ease/ LOCATION:Regent Street Cinema\, 307 Regent Street\, London\, W1B 2HW END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191109T150000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191109T170000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091625 CREATED:20191010T081318Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191010T081531Z UID:3279-1573311600-1573318800@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:The Underground Universities in Czechoslovakia after Charter 77 DESCRIPTION:On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution\, Dr. Barbara Day MBE will be speaking about Czechoslovak underground universities in the 1970s and 80s and their relationship with institutions in Britain. \nBarbara is the author of The Velvet Philosophers which presents a detailed account of the conditions in which the underground universities operated and explains the role of Jan Hus Educational Foundation and British universities who provided lecturers for seminars organised by Charter 77 signatories\, as well as books and materials for samizdat in Prague\, Brno and Bratislava . \nShe first visited Prague in the mid 1960s on study leave. After returning to Britain and completing her studies\, she worked for the Jan Hus Educational Foundation through which she was directly involved in preparations and briefings for visiting academics to Czechoslovakia. Barbara now lives in Prague where she writes extensively on Czech theatre\, translates and teaches foreign students on the Czech culture programme at Charles University. She was a founding member of The English College in Prague. \nHer latest book Trial by Theatre examines the history of the theatre in the Czech lands. \nFor her contribution to Czech and British cultural relations\, Barbara was awarded the Commemorative Medal by Vaclav Havel in 1998 and received an MBE in 2002. URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/the-underground-universities-in-czechoslovakia-after-charter-77/ LOCATION:Velehrad London\, 39 Lonsdale Road\, London\, SW13 9JP\, United Kingdom END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191109T100000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191109T163000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091625 CREATED:20190928T102134Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190928T102134Z UID:3162-1573293600-1573317000@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Music of the Czechs DESCRIPTION:London region of U3As music day \nProgramme: \n10.45-10.55 Music of the Czechs: Geographical and historical context introduction by the chair of the London Region\, Catherine Ware\n11.00–12.00 Evocations of Prague a London region music visit to Prague remembered through a sequence of images\, poetry\, prose and music Hugh Noble\, Redbridge U3A\n12.05–13.05 Bedrich Smetana – a Czech icon a joint presentation with recorded musical excerpts Andrew Mills & Michael Sodring\, Barnet U3A\nBREAK FOR LUNCH\n14.00-14.15 Czech folk songs introductions in English\, sung in Czech by guest soloist\, Sarka Elias\, Ralph Samel and his Ukelele Group\, Barnet U3A\n14.20-15.20 Another kind of nationalism: the development of the Czech string quartet talk with recorded musical excerpts Robert Hugill\, U3A in London\n15.25-16.25 Dvorak in England talk with recorded musical excerpts\, Terry Heard\, membership secretary\, The Dvorak Society \nCost: £25 per person including refreshments on arrival (lunch is not included) \nBook via organiser website link below URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/music-of-the-czechs/ LOCATION:Kings Place\, 90 York Way\, London\, N1 9AG\, United Kingdom END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191108T090000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191108T173000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091625 CREATED:20191002T165926Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191002T170633Z UID:3199-1573203600-1573234200@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Jan Patocka and the grounds for political action DESCRIPTION:Academic conference and evening arts event.\nThis conference will explore the contributions of Czech philosopher Jan Patocka to our understanding of whether and how meaningful political action is possible—taking cues from his phenomenology\, his essays on arts and culture\, his writings on Europe\, and his conception of sacrifice. The day will feature Patocka scholars and academics who worked underground in the former Czechoslovakia. A topical introduction to the ideas of this fascinating philosopher\, offering novel ways of reflecting on our contemporary political crises.\nConference programme (draft subject to change) \n9:00 Arrival and Coffee\n9:30 Welcome from Graham Henderson (Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation) and Erin Plunkett (University of Hertfordshire) \nPanel 1 – Philosophical grounds\n9:45 Francesco Tava (University of the West of England\, (UWE)\, Bristol\n10:15 Michaela Belejkanicova (UCL) on sacrifice in Patocka\n10:45 Erin Plunkett leads a panel discussion\n11:15 Coffee \nPanel 2 – Patocka and Czech literature\n11:30 Tim Beasley-Murray (UCL) on Czech philosophical and literary influences on Jan Patocka\n12:00 Rajendra Chitnis (University College Oxford) on Patocka in the context of Czech arts and literature\n12:30 Graham Henderson leads a panel discussion\n13:00 Lunch\n\nPanel 3 – Resistance\n14:00 Ivan Chvatik (director of the Patocka Archive in Prague) on Jan Patocka’s influence on intellectual and political resistance to Communism\n14:30 Jan Frei (deputy director of the Patocka Archive in Prague) on Jan Patocka’s cultural and political impact\n15:00 Graham Henderson leads panel discussion\n15:30 Tea \nPanel 4 – Arts and Culture\n15:45 Erin Plunkett (University of Hertfordshire)\n16:15 Barbara Day (author of The Velvet Philosophers) on her participation in the underground philosophy lecture programme(the ‘Patocka universities’) in the former Czechoslovakia\n16:45 Erin Plunkett leads a panel discussion \nTickets to attend the one day conference from 9:00-17:30 are £20 plus booking fee see Eventbrite link below \nThe conference will be followed by an evening arts event ‘Care for the Soul – Jan Patocka and the arts’. With live music and performances\, this event will take place from 18:30-20:30 and requires separate registration. Tickets to attend the evening event from 18:30-20:30 are £10 plus booking fee. For full details and to book click here URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/jan-patocka-and-the-grounds-for-political-action/ LOCATION:Senate House\, University of London\, Malet Street\, London\, WC1E 7HU END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191106T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191106T210000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091625 CREATED:20191010T090447Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191010T090447Z UID:3288-1573066800-1573074000@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:The Other Europe: The Power of the Powerless DESCRIPTION:30 years after the fall of Communism\, leading historian and political scientist Jacques Rupnik and a multi-award winning documentary film director Tom Roberts re-visit their Channel 4 revolutionary documentary series (1988) which revealed the impact of 40 years of Communist rule on the nations of the ‘Other Europe’. \nWritten and narrated by Jacques Rupnik\, this programme examines power\, ideology\, resistance\, art and the traumas of the totalitarian experiment using interviews with leading oppositionists and extracts of their work. Reminiscing what was it like for a Western crew to film in Communist countries on the brink of collapse\, meeting filmmakers Andrzej Wajda\, Jiri Menzel\, writers Vaclav Havel\, Josef Skvorecky\, and young Viktor Orban\, the panelists will discuss the notion of the ‘Other Europe’ now after the changes of 1989 and in the current political climate. \nAdmission £7 + booking fee (see Eventbrite link below) URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/the-other-europe-the-power-of-the-powerless/ LOCATION:Czech Embassy cinema\, 26 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191105T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191105T203000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091625 CREATED:20190716T182336Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190716T182336Z UID:2897-1572978600-1572985800@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Emperor Rudolf II - Collector & Patron of the Arts & Sciences DESCRIPTION:Under Rudolf II Prague again became the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Following the example of his Habsburg ancestors\, he assembled an exceptional collection of works of art for which the imperial palace on the Hradcany was adapted. He patronised painters\, sculptors\, goldsmiths who flocked to Prague\, and also men of learning including Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. For a brief period Prague became the most important cultural centre in Europe. \nCaroline Cannon-Brookes\, art historian\, was trained at the Courtauld Institute of Art and teaches at the University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education. She has led many tours to the Czech Republic to which she is a regular visitor. \nPrice £15 including a glass of wine. Online booking see link below. \nTo pay at the door please notify: events@czechfriends.net \nImage of Rudolph II by Aegidius Sadeler URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/emperor-rudolf-ii-collector-patron-of-the-arts-sciences/ LOCATION:Czech Embassy\, 26-30 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191105T093000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191105T180000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190917T201054Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191027T110131Z UID:3134-1572946200-1572976800@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Raising the velvet curtain: Slovak literature since 1989 DESCRIPTION:One-day seminar hosted by UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies. \nCo-organised with the Centre for the Study of Central Europe\, UCL SSEES and the Institute of Slovak Literature of the Slovak Academy of Sciences\, this one-day conference\, open to the public\, aims to introduce the reading public as well as publishers\, journalists\, translators\, students and scholars of Central European and Slovak history and politics to the latest developments on the Slovak literary scene. \nLeading specialists from Slovakia\, the UK and USA will present a survey of the Slovak social and literary landscape and social developments over the past 30 years and major literary trends. Four panels will explore how recent Slovak history and social transformation after 1989 has been reflected in literature\, also in the context of neighbouring post-communist countries. Panellists will introduce the vibrant contemporary literary scene in Slovakia and discuss the best ways of putting Slovak literature on the Anglophone map and make recommendations for books that should be translated into English and why. \nFor full programme see raising_the_velvet_curtain_conference_final \nFree registrations with Eventbrite – see link below URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/raising-the-velvet-curtain-slovak-literature-since-1989/ LOCATION:UCL SSEES\, 16 Taviton St\, London\, WC1H 0BW\, United Kingdom ORGANIZER;CN="UCL SSEES":MAILTO:ssees-events@ucl.ac.uk END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191104T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191104T213000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190816T155125Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190816T161017Z UID:3050-1572894000-1572903000@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Solo Lamentoso - Sláva Daubnerová DESCRIPTION:Inspired by the real-life story of a woman in the small town of Štúrovo in southern Slovakia. \nA portrait of a woman compelled to listen to music known for pushing boundaries and conventions in contemporary Slovak theatre. Author\, director\, actor and conceptual artist Sláva Daubnerová blends authenticity and documentary techniques with fiction to pose fundamental questions about the limits of humanity and the position of an outsider. Daubnerová’s monodrama Solo Lamentoso\, premiered in December 2015\, has been inspired by the real-life story of a woman in the small town of Štúrovo in southern Slovakia\, who barricaded herself in her house and terrorised her neighbours by playing the same aria from La Traviata sung by Placido Domingo through low-quality speakers from six in the morning to ten at night in an endless loop for 14 years. The artist turns the confession of a disturbed woman into a device for exploring timeless topics such as the ambiguity of truth and the fight of an individual against society\, suggesting that growing discord among people is how extremism is born. \nTickets £12\, concessions £10 plus booking fee £1.50 (see link below) \nIn partnership with the Slovak Arts Council and the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in London URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/solo-lamentoso-slava-daubnerova/ LOCATION:Rich Mix\, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road\, London\, E1 6LA END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191102T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191102T213000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190514T100401Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190531T173201Z UID:2813-1572723000-1572730200@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Pavel Haas Quartet DESCRIPTION:The ensemble took the name of a Czech composer\, and continues its commitment to music from his country in this programme\, with a work by Erwin Schulhoff alongside a quartet by Smetana. The contemporary Slovak composer L’ubica Cekovska is also represented. \nL’ubica Cekovska (b.1975) A Midsummer Quartet \nErwin Schulhoff (1894-1942) String Quartet No. 1 \nBedrich Smetana (1824-1884) String Quartet No. 2 in D minor \nPyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) String Quartet No. 3 in E flat minor Op. 30 URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/pavel-haas-quartet/ LOCATION:Wigmore Hall\, 36 Wigmore Street\, London\, W1U 2BP\, United Kingdom END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191031T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191031T213000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20191003T093555Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191003T093555Z UID:3220-1572550200-1572557400@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Hej Romale! Chavorenge choir and Czech Philharmonic DESCRIPTION:A concert by Romani children from the Chavorenge Children’s Choir led by Ida Kelarova and her team accompanied by musicians from the Czech Philharmonic. \n“Romani children don’t feel welcome in our society. Breaking free from the vicious circle of settlements and ghettos into a world where they are expected to succeed\, be self-confident and achieve is hugely difficult. We strive to create a motivating environment which allows them to follow their dreams and goals and pursue their own life stories. But the energy we invest in these children doesn’t pay off immediately – it takes time.”\n“I’m delighted that the Czech Philharmonic has been by our side over the past five years. Even though we’ve made great progress\, I realise that it may take several generations before we witness long-lasting change and for the results of our efforts to bear fruit.” \nTickets from £15 plus booking fee\, see link below. URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/hej-romale-chavorenge-choir-and-czech-philharmonic/ LOCATION:Phoenix Concert Hall\, Fairfield Halls\, Park Lane\, Croydon\, CR9 1DG\, United Kingdom END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191030T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191030T210000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20191001T170232Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191001T170232Z UID:3187-1572462000-1572469200@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:In Quest of History: On Statehood and Identity with Jiri Priban and Pavel Seifter DESCRIPTION:As contemporary politics drift closer to totalitarianism\, historiography from scholars and thinkers who have experienced twentieth-century totalitarian regimes is more important than ever. A professor of legal philosophy Jiri Priban and Pavel Seifter\, historian and former Czech Ambassador to the UK\, search for the roots of contemporary problems in our past\, examining how we navigate history among the shifting tides of our national identity and what statehood and democracy mean 30 years after the fall of communism. \nChaired by Sir John Tusa and touching upon the subjects of sovereignty\, freedom\, fear\, and faith\, this promises to be a spirited discussion launching the English edition of Jiri Priban’s and Karel Hvizdala’s book In Quest of History; On Czech Statehood and Identity\, Karolinum Press\, October 2019 \nTickets: £5 + booking fee\, see Eventbrite link below URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/in-quest-of-history-on-statehood-and-identity-with-jiri-priban-and-pavel-seifter/ LOCATION:Czech Embassy\, 26-30 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191026T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191026T213000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190804T120015Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190804T120015Z UID:2975-1572118200-1572125400@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:CS PARTY @ 229 VENUE with MIRO ŽBIRKA DESCRIPTION:Miro Žbirka – a living legend of Slovak and Czech popular music is celebrating his 40 year-long music career with concerts in London\, Prague and Bratislava. \nDon’t miss this greatest hits show supported by Abbey Road Studio musicians with whom he recorded his last two albums.\nDrums – Blair Cunningham\nBass – Hamish Stewart\, Pearse MacIntyre\nGuitar – Robbie McIntosh\, Pearse MacIntyre\, Rob Cass\nKeyboards – Pearse MacIntyre\nPiano – Dean Ross\, Jon Hall\, George Stewart\nPercussion – Rob Cass \nNOTE!!! CS PARTY with MIRO ŽBIRKA is for standing only\, please ignore seating numbers on your tickets. URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/cs-party-229-venue-with-miro-zbirka/ LOCATION:229 Venue\, 229 Great Portland Street\, London\, W1W 5PN END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191024T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191024T213000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190527T192002Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190527T192040Z UID:2838-1571945400-1571952600@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Czech Roots: London Symphony Orchestra DESCRIPTION:Composers pouring their most personal thoughts and feelings into their work is not unusual\, but these two pieces by Dvorak and Suk feel much more deeply connected than most. \nDvorak and Suk had a very long and close relationship as father-in-law and son-in-law. Suk’s Second Symphony\, ‘Asrael’\, named for the Hebrew Angel of Death\, was written in tribute to Dvorak after his sudden death in 1904. Tragically\, Suk’s wife – Dvorak’s daughter Otilka – died shortly afterwards and the symphony contains some of the most achingly beautiful music in the whole of Suk’s output. \nSimilarly\, Dvorak’s Cello Concerto also contains a tribute to a close relation\, in this case his wife Anna’s sister Josefina\, whom Dvorak had initially courted for marriage. Dvorak wove the melody of his song ‘Leave me alone’\, of which Josefina was particularly fond\, into the second movement. The work was the envy of Brahms\, who reputedly said\, ‘If I had known that it was possible to write a cello concerto like this\, I would have tried it as well!’ \nSir John Eliot Gardiner conductor\nTruls Mørk cello URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/czech-roots-london-symphony-orchestra/ LOCATION:Barbican Centre\, Silk Street\, London\, EC2Y 8DS\, United Kingdom END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191024T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191025T191500 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190801T144240Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191027T105800Z UID:2960-1571943600-1572030900@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:An evening of Slovak Literature DESCRIPTION:Slovak writers’ tour 22 -25 October – Manchester\, Oxford\, Cambridge\, London \nJoin a panel of renowned authors chaired by Diana Vonnak for a celebration of modern Slovak literature. Ursula Kovalyk\, Ivana Dobrakovova and Balla will discuss their award-winning works of fiction. Also taking part will be their English translator\, Julia Sherwood. \nUrsula Kovalyk is a feminist writer\, social worker and theatre maker and a leading representative of contemporary feminist literary discourse in Slovakia. The Night Circus and other stories published by Parthian Books (April 2019) blends the naturalistic and the fabulistic in elusive\, delicate stories that fold fable and fairy tale into the everyday\, domestic settings of kitchen\, garden.\n\nIvana Dobrakovova is a writer and translator(Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan saga)\, winner of the 2019 European Union Prize for Literature. Bellevue is a novel about our inability to escape ‘our own private cages\, being imprisoned by fear\, anxiety and mistrust\, no less than indifference to others. Jantar Publishing\, October 2019. \nBalla is an award-winning writer of short stories and novellas\, “the chief alchemist of Slovak literature”. Big Love \, a critique of contemporary society in which the triumph of liberal democracy has increased rather than diminished the Kafkaesque aspects of life\, is his second book to be published in English. Jantar Publishing\, October 2019 \n22 October Manchester 19.00-20.30 Blackwell’s Bookshop book here \n23 October Oxford 19.00-20.30 St Anthony’s College (booking details to follow) \n24 October Cambridge 18.30-20.00 Heffers Bookshop book here \n25 October London 19.15-20.30 British Library book here \n‘Raising the Velvet Curtain’ is a series of events presenting a vibrant new generation of Slovak writers and artists to mark 30 years since the Velvet Revolution of 1989. URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/an-evening-of-slovak-literature/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191021T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191021T223000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190917T203707Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190919T102237Z UID:3140-1571682600-1571697000@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:The Women in Czech Opera DESCRIPTION:An evening talk and recital. \nSamantha Crawford and Lada Valesova explore the female roles in the operas of the great Czech composers\, Dvorak\, Janacek and Smetana. During this entertaining and illuminating evening they will perform highlights and discuss the music and characterisation in depth. Afterwards there are limited spaces for a dinner with these two fascinating artists. \nKatya Kabanova\, Jenufa and Rusalka are the title roles in just three masterpieces in the Czech repertoire. Katya is unhappily married and tormented by her bullying mother-in-law\, Kabanicha. This story of a lonely wife longing for love and freedom is rich in psychological insight. Jenufa reveals the lives of two courageous women struggling for fulfilment in a small rural community. Janacek movingly captures Jenufa’s emotional development\, while her stepmother\, the Kostelnicka is one of opera’s most complex maternal figures. When Rusalka\, Dvorak’s water nymph\, falls in love with a mortal she strikes a terrible bargain with the witch Jezibaba to gain mortality herself. This dark and symbolic retelling of the Little Mermaid story is enhanced by the spellbinding and luminous soprano aria\, the famous Song to the Moon. \nGeneral admission £45 + booking fee\nTicket including post performance dinner & wine £100 + booking fee \nsee Eventbrite link below URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/the-women-in-czech-opera/ LOCATION:The Club at The Ivy\, 9 West Street\, London\, WC2H 9 NE\, United Kingdom END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191020T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191020T213000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190527T184715Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190527T185301Z UID:2835-1571598000-1571607000@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Janacek: Glagolitic Mass DESCRIPTION:Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the London Symphony Orchestra bring together three works that define the ‘Czech sound’\, by composers who drew their material from Czech history\, legends and landscapes – Dvoak and Janacek. \nJanacek’s Ballad of Blanik and Dvorak’s Golden Spinning Wheel are both symphonic poems that take Czech legends as their inspiration – the first using the tale of Wenceslas as a vehicle to celebrate the peaceful regeneration of Czechoslovakia as an independent nation after World War I; the second a rather gruesome tale of greed\, murder and magic. \nIn the words of the writer Milan Kundera\, Janacek’s Glagolitic Mass is ‘more an orgy than a mass’ – perhaps appropriately for its composer\, who despite being a well-known atheist\, wrote a work that largely followed the traditional Catholic Mass structure. Including a wildly energetic section for solo organ\, it takes the listener on an exhilarating journey. URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/janacek-glagolitic-mass/ LOCATION:Barbican Centre\, Silk Street\, London\, EC2Y 8DS\, United Kingdom END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191020T100000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191020T170000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190527T183621Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190527T183621Z UID:2829-1571565600-1571590800@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:LSO Discovery Day: Janacek DESCRIPTION:Attend a morning rehearsal of the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner at the Barbican followed by talks and chamber music in the afternoon at LSO St Luke’s. The full schedule will be posted two weeks before the event. \nPlease note that the conductor may choose to not use the full rehearsal time and there is no guarantee that equal rehearsal time will be given to each piece. You will be seated in the Circle. \nFull day tickets: £22 (£17 concessions) \nLSO St Luke’s is located at 161 Old St\, London\, EC1V 9NG. URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/lso-discovery-day-janacek/ LOCATION:Barbican Centre\, Silk Street\, London\, EC2Y 8DS\, United Kingdom END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191016T200000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191016T213000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20191003T094836Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191003T094836Z UID:3225-1571256000-1571261400@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Makanna DESCRIPTION:London premiere of music documentary film MAKANNA\, together with a live cello performance and film introduction. \nBased on the novel of the Jewish writer Jiri Weil (1900 – 1959)\, from the concert performance of the ballet MAKANNA\, composed by composer Irena Kosikova for voice (Jan Zidlicky)\, solo cello (Frantisek Brikcius) and orchestra (Jan Talich – conductor\, Talich Chamber Orchestra). \nFree admission but booking is essential via Eventbrite see link below. URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/makanna/ LOCATION:One Hoe Street\, 1 Hoe Street\, London\, E17 4SD\, United Kingdom END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191015T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191015T203000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190726T163011Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190820T162615Z UID:2942-1571164200-1571171400@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:David Vaughan on Munich\, his life story - and Boris Johnson DESCRIPTION:David Vaughan\, a much-loved voice of Radio Prague broadcasts in English\, is travelling specially to London to tell us what made him devote his work and life to all things Czech. This visit is rather timely\, as it will fall near the anniversary of the Munich agreement and David Vaughan is fascinated with that period: his documentary novel Hear my voice is set in Czechoslovakia in the months prior to the Munich crisis. He will introduce its recent translation into English and hopefully sign a few copies. And as a contemporary of Boris Johnson at Balliol College\, Vaughan will also mention a few memories he has of the new British Prime Minister from those days. \nAward-winning broadcaster\, David Vaughan was for eight years editor-in-chief of Radio Prague\, the international service of Czech Radio. Prior to that he was the Prague correspondent of the BBC. His Czech became so good that he first wrote and published Hear my voice in Czech (Slyste muj hlas\, 2014) before releasing it in English (2019). His earlier historic book Battle for the Airwaves (2008) deals with the role of the media – in particular radio – in the run-up to World War Two. He is also the author of several drama documentary serials for Czech Radio. \nVaughan was born in Britain and educated at Balliol College\, Oxford\, where he read French and German. He now lives in Prague with his family. \nFree admission for members of the BCSA\, £7.50 for non-members\, full-time students £3.00\nRegistration is necessary for all on Eventbrite (see link below) or by e-mail to bcsa@bcsa.co.uk URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/prague-radio-david-vaughan-on-munich-his-life-story-and-boris-johnson/ LOCATION:Czech Embassy\, 26-30 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY CATEGORIES:BCSA Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191013T131500 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191013T141500 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20191003T102121Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191003T102121Z UID:3237-1570972500-1570976100@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Waltham Forest Cello Fest 2019 - the 7th Underground Lunchtime Recital DESCRIPTION:Czech cellist Frantisek Brikcius will present cello works by leading composers from Prague and Brno. \nYou will hear Fantasie and Rondo (1982) by composer Jiri Matys\, Metall Sonata (1983) by cellist\, artist and composer Petr Hejny\, Dilema (1987) by film composer Jan Jirasek\, Sonata (1987) by music and film composer Lubos Fiser\, Dances of King Lear (1995) by a composer from Brno\, Milos Stedron\, and Stopy (2004) by Czech composer and organist Irena Kosikova. \nAdmission £10 (+ £1.25 booking fee). Booking is essential via Eventbrite – see link below. URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/waltham-forest-cello-fest-2019-the-7th-underground-lunchtime-recital/ LOCATION:Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum\, 10 South Access Road\, London\, E17 8AX\, United Kingdom END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20191009T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20191012T151000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190829T162430Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190829T164109Z UID:3088-1570644000-1570893000@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:The Painted Bird DESCRIPTION:Film based on Jerzy Kosiński’s 1965 novel and a long time in the making\, Václav Marhoul’s extraordinary The Painted Bird finds a lone Jewish boy on a dark odyssey towards home during wartime. \nA boy (Petr Kotlár) is sent to his aunt to protect him from the Nazis; when she dies unexpectedly\, he’s propelled on a bleak journey across Central Europe – from one brutal encounter to the next. Shot in starkly beautiful 35mm black and white by Kolya cinematographer Vladimír Smutný\, The Painted Bird’s textures recall both the crispness of The Bicycle Thief and squalor of Aleksei German’s Hard to be a God. Featuring several standout cameos (Stellan Skarsga˚rd\, Udo Kier\, Harvey Keitel)\, Marhoul’s darkly magnificent Venice Film Festival competitor is sumptuously crafted\, though rarely an easy watch\, with scenes some will find distressing. A terrifying and highly relevant exploration of what humanity looks like when there is only vicious survival\, with little space for compassion. \nCzech Republic-Slovakia-Ukraine 2019\, 169min with English subtitles \nThe first Czech film to vie for a Golden Lion at Venice in a quarter century – further details from Prague Radio photo Czech Television \nBFI London Film Festival tickets on sale 10am 12 September (see link below) \nWednesday 9 October 6pm Vue West End Screen 5 \nThursday 10 October 2.50pm BFI Southbank NFT 3 \nSaturday 12 October 3.10pm Prince Charles Cinema Downstairs URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/the-painted-bird/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20190924T181500 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20190925T131500 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190906T131824Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190906T131824Z UID:3122-1569348900-1569417300@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:A certain kind of silence DESCRIPTION:Czech young au pair Mia starts work abroad for a well-off family in a lavish villa. Mia must look after their ten years old son and follows many strange rules of the household. She slowly begins to gradually abandon her morality and her relationships with child entrusted as a result of systematic manipulation. Will be Mia able to get out of the grip of a radical family community? \nCzech Republic\, Netherlands\, Latvia 2019\, 96 minutes \nRaindance Film Festival URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/a-certain-kind-of-silence/ LOCATION:Vue Cinema Piccadilly\, 19 Lower Regent Street\, London\, SW1Y 4LR\, United Arab Emirates END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20190910T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20190910T213000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190417T170440Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190511T121832Z UID:2733-1568143800-1568151000@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Czech Philharmonic at the Proms DESCRIPTION:Semyon Bychkov conducts the Czech Philharmonic in Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 8 – the most personal of the composer’s many confrontations with the horror of war. Love dominates the first half\, in music from the operas Eugene Onegin and The Bartered Bride. \nProgramme \nBedrich Smetana\nThe Bartered Bride – overture\nThe Bartered Bride – Three Dances(19 mins) \nPyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky\nEugene Onegin – Letter Scene(12 mins)\nHenry Wood Novelties: UK premiere\, 1892 \ninterval\nDmitry Shostakovich\nSymphony No 8 in C minor(65 mins)\nHenry Wood Novelties: UK premiere\, 1944 \nPerformers\nElena Stikhina\nsoprano \nCzech Philharmonic \nSemyon Bychkov\nconductor URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/czech-philharmonic-at-the-proms/ LOCATION:Royal Albert Hall\, Kensington Gore\, London\, SW7 2AP\, United Kingdom END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20190905T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20190905T203000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190531T173135Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190831T144738Z UID:2845-1567708200-1567715400@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:The best of Slovak Theatre in London: the life of economic migrants DESCRIPTION:THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT & SUBJECT TO A WAITING LIST ON EVENTBRITE IN CASE OF CANCELLATIONS \nHighlights of two plays based on everyday life of young Czechs and Slovaks working in Britain. Written by the theatre founder\, Juliana Sersenova\, with the help of the ensemble and based on their own experience.\nIn Slovak with English surtitles.\nInterview with Juliana and Simona Vrabcova\, the current artistic manager of the theatre. \nJuliana Sersenova studied theology and Slovak language at Ruzemberok University before moving to London in 2007. Here she took any job to earn her living while she wrote and directed her plays and studied applied theatre at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Now she lives in Slovakia\, where she continues to produce plays but comes regularly to London to work with the theatre. \nFree admission but registration is necessary for all on Eventbrite (see link below) or by e-mail to bcsa@bcsa.co.uk URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/the-best-of-slovak-theatre-in-london-the-life-of-economic-migrants/ LOCATION:Slovak Embassy\, 25 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:BCSA Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20190904T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20190904T213000 DTSTAMP:20260507T091626 CREATED:20190418T153637Z LAST-MODIFIED:20190511T121858Z UID:2752-1567623600-1567632600@www.bcsa.co.uk SUMMARY:Dvorak and Korngold at the Proms DESCRIPTION:Dvorak’s ‘New World’ Symphony\, with its wistful slow movement\, is the centrepiece of the second concert from the Vienna Philharmonic – a programme of Central European works that showcases the orchestra’s distinctively rich sound. \nAndrés Orozco-Estrada pairs it with the composer’s colourful\, folk-infused tone-poem The Noonday Witch\, in which a mother’s threats inadvertently summon a witch into her home.\nCinematic drama is also a hallmark of Korngold’s richly orchestrated and unashamedly romantic Violin Concerto\, performed here by soloist Leonidas Kavakos. \nProgramme \nAntonin Dvorak The Noonday Witch (14 mins)\nHenry Wood Novelties: UK premiere\, 1896 \nErich Wolfgang Korngold Violin Concerto (26 mins) \ninterval \nAntonin Dvorak\nSymphony No 9 in E minor\, ‘From the New World’ (43 mins) \nPerformers \nLeonidas Kavakos\, violin \nVienna Philharmonic \nAndrés Orozco‐Estrada\, conductor URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/dvorak-and-korngold-at-the-proms/ LOCATION:Royal Albert Hall\, Kensington Gore\, London\, SW7 2AP\, United Kingdom END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR