Ode To Joy and Praga Arcana At Smetana Hall

Especially in Prague and Vienna we wanted to look into musical performances, and, even before leaving the States we'd booked seats for a Beethoven concert at Smetana Hall in the Municipal House. What we didn't know at the time was that the concert also would include the world premiere of a major new work, Praga Arcana, by young Czech composer Jan Ryant Drizal. The hall was full, the audience mostly local, mature, and appreciative of what they heard. The Beethoven was competent, dramatic, and enjoyable, but the premiere--we really didn't understand what was coming--was full of energy, musical allusion, and the most varied and interesting symphonic orchestration I've heard, especially the percussion. 

We arrived early for some pix; Smetana Hall is famous historically,
for its art and architecture, music, even political history

Among my more successful panos; we'll tour the Municipal House at some point, and there will be
many more pix of this art nouveau wonderland

Tune-up

At the conclusion of Praga Arcana, the composer (just right of
podium) comes on stage for congratulations, more applause,
bouquet, etc.

One might attend a life-time of concerts and never hear a world
premiere, much less with the composer in attendance

Now all set, except for soloists and conductor, for Beethoven's
9th symphony; great, glorious music

Applause and curtain calls at the conclusion...a great evening for us