In the cultural program of Prague 8, we discovered an intriguing concert scheduled for March 23, 2026, at 7:30 PM in the intimate setting of the Libeň Chateau. It is part of this year's Eternal Hope (Věčná naděje) International Music Festival. During the organizational preparations for the concert, we spoke with Dr. Martina Jankovská, co-founder of the festival and a member of the board of the Music for Eternal Hope Endowment Fund.
What is the tradition of the festival?
The music festival was founded in 2017 by Jiří Polák, son of Libeň native Erik Polák—a historian who passed through the Terezín ghetto as a child and miraculously survived the entire Holocaust. The festival was established in memory of his Jewish ancestors, many of whom were not as fortunate and did not survive the hardships of the Holocaust. Erik Polák explicitly wished to act in a way that ensured people would not forget… The festival presents music not only by the so-called Terezín composers (Gideon Klein, Hans Krása, Viktor Ullmann, Pavel Haas) but any music composed or performed during times of oppression, war, and the Holocaust, as well as music that speaks out against violence, hatred, or discrimination—both in historical times and today.
How much has the festival grown during its nearly ten years of existence?
The project, of which the upcoming concert is a part, presents not only classical music but also jazz, klezmer, and crossover; it organizes theatrical performances, programs for children and youth, and lectures, both in traditional concert halls and in newly discovered locations. There are also excursions outside of Prague combined with exploring the genius loci of various sites. Recently, the festival has begun presenting compelling stories—human fates that can serve as a source of education, inspiration, and admiration for the strength of the human spirit.
And what will be the story of the March evening at the Libeň Chateau?
Baritone Petr Matuszek, one of the most prominent performers of Terezín composers, and versatile pianist Jiří Knotte have prepared a program that spans from deep introspection to unrestrained rhythmic joy. You will hear the delicate lyricism of Viktor Ullmann and Pavel Haas, composers who, even in the darkness of the Terezín ghetto, managed to create works full of humanity and hope. Their compositions will be complemented by Josef Bohuslav Foerster's Fairy Tale of Long Longing, bringing a touch of Romantic dreaminess to the evening. However, the other side of the evening belongs to rhythm and life. Solemn themes will be replaced by the energy of interwar jazz and modernism. The program includes George Gershwin's iconic Rhapsody in Blue in an arrangement for solo piano and Jaroslav Ježek's unmistakable Bugatti Step. Music is a unique form of art that immediately connects people in both suffering and joy, elevates us from mundane triviality, heals grievances, and leads us toward perceiving a new dimension of creativity.
More information at www.vecnanadeje.org.
Tickets can be found at https://vecnanadeje.org/tickets/
