CONCERT

Unity of Place and Time in Music: Tribute to Christoph Dientzenhofer

Tuesday, June 21, 2022; 8 p.m.

As a tribute to architect Christoph Dientzenhofer, who died 300 ago in June, we are holding a concert of music composed by the architect’s contemporaries – Antonio Vivaldi and Jan Josef Ignác Brentner. The concert is held in collaboration with Rosa Bohemica festival. The compositions will be performed by Ensemble Inégal, one of the best Czech ensembles focused on baroque music. The concert takes place at the Church of the Nativity (a part of the Loreta Monastery) in Hradčany, a significant baroque monument and a pilgrimage destination with a moving history. The event will start with an introductory word from Richard Biegel, chairman of Klub Za starou Prahu (an association dedicated to the protection of Prague monuments) and director of the Department of Art History, Faculty of Arts, Charles University. Mr. Biegel will talk about the work of Christoph Dientzenhofer, who, together with his son Kilian Ignaz, created several masterpieces in Prague. A unique opportunity to experience baroque music in a magical place!

Loreta Monastery
Ensemble Inégal

Ensemble Inégal is a versatile musical ensemble which performs a wide range of music, from Renaissance music to contemporary compositions. The ensemble is led by Adam Viktora together with his wife Gabriela Eibenová. In 2021, the ensemble joined Rosa Bohemica, a new music festival which aims to bring music to spaces in the region of Central Bohemia with a strong genius loci. Ensemble Inégal also performs the works of forgotten composers, such as J. J. I. Brentner, one of the most popular and most issued composers of his time.

Loreta Monastery is one of the most significant sacral buildings in the Czech lands and a prime example of baroque architecture. It was designed by Christoph Dientzenhofer and finished by his son Kilian Ignaz. Since its foundation, the monastery has been under the care of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFMCap.) – Czech Capuchin Province (Provincie kapucínů v ČR), whose Church of the Virgin Mary Angelic is located nearby.

Christoph Dientzenhofer (1655–1722) is one of the most significant baroque architects in the Czech lands. At the core of his work is a group of radically baroque constructions in which he developed remarkable baroque experiments with dynamic architectural structures and use of geometric figures. His most significant buildings in this style include the Chapel of the Epiphany of Our Lord in Smiřice, Basilica of Saint Margaret in Břevnov, and the Church of Saint Nicholas in Malá Strana, finished by Dientzenhofer’s equally talented son, Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer.

Practical Information:

  • Meeting point is at the entrance gate of the Loreta Monastery (address: Loretánské nám. 7/100, 118 00 Praha 1-Hradčany).
  • Seats are not numbered – tickets are not assigned to specific seats.
  • There will be no break during the event; the estimated running time is 80 minutes.
  • Tickets can only be purchased in advance.

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