Czech Festivals: Prague Spring

In May every year, venues such as the National Theatre, Municipal House and the castle complex make the capital of Bohemia come alive.

I’ve recently come back from in Prague, the capital of Bohemia and the Czech Republic, and it doesn’t need me to add to the superlatives that various tourist brochures and guidebooks have spilled about the city. However, I got lucky while I was there, as the Prague Spring Festival was in full swing. This celebration of classical music kicks off in May every year, and attracts some of the finest musicians from around the world.

There was a palpable buzz in the streets, and it seems as though just about every other person was a man in traditional costume handing out a flyer for a Mozart’s Don Giovanni, performed at the National Theatre in which it had its original premiere, or an invitation to see a black light theatre show.

Just about every venue in town seemed to be hosting something, from the Art Nouveau Municipal House to the church of St Nicholas. The castle complex and the main square were also getting in on the act, with courtyards and areas near the famous Astronomical Clock being set aside for violinists attempting Vivaldi or cellists serenading with Dvorak.

The Prague Spring Festival is rightly regarded as one of the best classical music events in Europe, and it seems to infect the whole city throughout its duration. Even those who are far more interested in drowning themselves in cheap beer than Beethoven’s Unfinished Symphony can’t help but be drawn in to a little culture.

And this is good to see in a city that has unfortunately developed a reputation for stag party weekends and being overrun by tour groups.