The Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York and the Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the United Nations have the pleasure to invite you to a concert featuring award-winning violinist Ivan Ženatý, in collaboration with the brilliant David Kalhous on piano with a special guest of honor mezzosprano Ester Pavlů at the Bohemian National Hall on Friday November 4th, 2022 at 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM EDT, later followed by the meet-the-artist reception.

The evening offers a special program fusing Antonín Dvořák, Bedřich Smetana and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart musical gems performed by violinist Ivan Ženatý and pianist David Kalhous with pieces of temperament, grief and joy performed by Czech mezzosoprano Ester Pavlů.

Performers

Prof. Ivan Ženatý, who plays a rare Guiseppe Guarneri del Gesu violin made in 1740, reaches a broad public without abandoning the world of classical music for a moment. Besides the technical perfection he is also appreciated for his taste, style and a captivatingly beautiful tone. The great Czech musical tradition was passed on to Ivan Ženatý through his mentor Josef Suk, a great Czech violinist. He has been influenced the most by his personal encounters with Nathan Milstein, Ruggiero Ricci. Igor Bezrodny and André Gertler.

Ivan Ženatý is a past prize-winner of the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, and first prize winner at the Prague Spring Competition. He has played with many of the great orchestras of the world, and has made over 40 recordings, ranging from Telemann to 20th century Czech composers. Prof. Ivan Ženatý is also passing his talent to the others. He has taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music, at the Royal Academy of Music Copenhagen, Hochschule fur Music in Dresden and Meadowmount School of Music.

Prof. David Kalhous has gained recognition in Europe and the United States for his elegant musicianship, brilliant pianism, probing intelligence, and engaging programming. With wide-ranging repertoire spanning three centuries, he is equally at home with music of Scarlatti and Bach, Beethoven and Chopin, and Ligeti and Feldman. Recently, David Kalhous recorded 12 piano sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti as part of the Czech Radio’s Complete Scarlatti Sonatas project, as well as a solo CD for the Arco Diva label with sonatas by Beethoven, Janáček, and Liszt. He is currently Associate Professor of Piano at Florida State University College of Music.

Ester Pavlů, mezzosoprano, a graduate of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, was introduced as Fenena in Jose Cura’s 2017 production of Verdi’s Nabucco at the National Theatre in Prague. Ester Pavlů portrayed the Old Woman in the world premiere of Martinů’s What Men Live By, which received the Anděl award for best classical recording of 2018. In 2019, she joined a UK tour of Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 with the FOK Prague Symphonic Orchestra, and received a standing ovation as Cinderella in Rossini’s Cenerentola. In 2021 she excelled in Dvořák’s Rusalka, singing both the Foreign Princess and Witch. Most recently Ester Pavlů appeared as Carmen in the same-name Bizet’s opera or as The Queen in Weinberger’s Schwanda the Bagpiper at the Prague National Theatre.

Program

1) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sonata A Major for Violin and Piano, KV. 305
Allegro di molto
Andante grazioso. Allegro

2) Antonín Dvořák: Romantic Pieces for Violin and Piano, op. 75
Allegro moderato
Allegro maestoso
Allegro appassionato
Larghetto

3) Antonín Dvořák: Gypsy Songs (A les je tichý, Když mě stará matka)
Georges Bizet: Habanera from Carmen
Ester Pavlů (guest of honor – mezzosoprano)

4) Bedřich Smetana: From My Homeland – two Duets for Violin and Piano