Synopsis
On today’s date in 1868, Czech composer Bedrich Smetana helped lay the foundation stone for Prague’s future National Theatre. As the stone was driven into the soil with a ceremonial mallet, Smetana exclaimed, “In music is the life of the Czechs!” That same evening at Prague’s New Town Theatre, Smetana conducted the premiere performance of his new opera Dalibor. It’s worthy of note that one of the players in the orchestra was 26-year old violist and fellow composer Antonín Dvořák.
The subject matter of Dalibor seemed theatrically apt for the occasion: a Czech legend about a rebellious 15th century knight imprisoned for supporting a peasant uprising. During his imprisonment, according to the legend, Dalibor learned to play the violin so beautifully that people came to listen to him outside the window of the Prague Castle tower in which he was held.
Thirteen years after the premiere of Dalibor, the National Theatre opened on June 11, 1881. For that gala occasion, another Smetana opera, Libuse, received its premiere performance. Sadly, by that time Smetana was completely deaf, mentally ailing and desperately poor.
To add insult to injury, the directors of the new theater had neglected to invite him to the gala premiere of his own opera! Despite the inexcusable snub, Smetana found his way into the theater, and, when called on the stage and recognized by the audience, was acknowledged with thunderous applause.
Music Played in Today's Program
Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884): Act I Prelude and opening chorus, from Dalibor; Prague National Theatre Orchestra and Chorus; Zdenek Kosler, conductor; Supraphon SU0077-2 632
On This Day
Births
1931 - American composer Donald James Martino, in Plainfield, New Jersey
Deaths
1910 - Russian composer Mily Balakirev, 73, in Saint Petersburg (Gregorian date: May 29)
Premieres
1726 - Handel: opera Alessandro (Julian date: May 5)
1889 - Massenet: opera Esclarmonde at the Paris Opéra
1948 - Quincy Porter: Viola Concerto, in New York City
1948 - Wallingford Rieger: Symphony No. 3, in New York City
1966 - Ralph Shapey: Rituals, in Chicago
1966 - Villa-Lobos: Sinfonia No. 9, by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting
1969 - Cage: HPSCHD, for amplified harpsichord and 51 tapes, in Urbana, Illinois
1971 - Britten: opera Owen Wingrave, as a telecast on BBC-TV in England and NET (National Educational Television) in the United States
1972 - Jaocb Druckman: Windows for orchestra, by the Chicago Symphony; This work was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1972
1974 - Bernstein: ballet Dybbuk, by the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center, with choreography by Jerome Robbins and the composer conducting
1991 - Joan Tower: Concerto for Orchestra, by the St. Louis Symphony, Leonard Slatkin conducting
Others
1792 - The Teatro la Fenice (The Phoenix) opens in Venice
1888 - Emile Berliner gives the first public display of his invention, the flat gramophone disk, at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia
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About Composers Datebook®
Host John Birge presents a daily snapshot of composers past and present, with timely information, intriguing musical events and appropriate, accessible music related to each.
He has been hosting, producing and performing classical music for more than 25 years. Since 1997, he has been hosting on Minnesota Public Radio's Classical Music Service. He played French horn for the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra and performed with them on their centennial tour of Europe in 1995. He was trained at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Arts Academy.
