The Czech Center New York invited mezzo-soprano Ester Pavlů, her music mentor Vladimír Chmelo, and pianist Ahmad Hedar to perform a series of four concerts. They put together a program of songs by Dvořák, Martinů, and Janáček in celebration of the 180th anniversary of Antonín Dvořák’s birth and the 80th anniversary of Bohuslav Martinů’s arrival overseas.
Things kicked off with a gala concert followed by a reception for more than 200 guests in the Grand Ballroom of the Bohemian National Hall. The event took place under the patronage of the General Consuls of the Czech Republic as well as Switzerland, which has maintained close ties to Martinů for many years. In New York, no less than a half of the audience were prominent cultural figures, teachers, diplomats, doctors, and other distinguished Czech and Slovak compatriots. The concert was attended by the likes of Magda Vášáryová, Brian Large, and Martina Formanová, as well as Véronique Firkusny — the daughter of the famous pianist.
The program in Chicago was aimed primarily at compatriots who still speak Czech, whereas in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, it was intended for those who no longer speak the language but maintain an interest in Czech culture. The final and most charming concert took place in St Wenceslas Church in Spillville, Iowa, where Antonín Dvořák himself played the organ while on a visit at the invitation of the Kovařík family in the summer of 1893. We asked the opera singer Ester Pavlů whether her first American tour had met her expectations.
“It did, absolutely. The idea was to offer an appealing program of Czech and Slovak music in collaboration with my music mentor Vladimír Chmelo and pianist Ahmad Hedar that would engage sophisticated New York audiences while being equally attractive for Czech compatriots in Chicago and Iowa. We selected music that was close to my heart. To me, the presence and response of people like Bryan Large, Michael Beckerman, Véronique Firkusny, Katelyn Bouska, Metropolitan Opera conductor David Jackson, and director of the Cedar Rapids opera house Daniel Kleinknecht indicate that my performance resonated among professionals as well. It would have been impossible to complete such a challenging tour amidst the COVID pandemic without the support of the Czech Center New York, the General Consulates in New York and Chicago, and the teachers of the TGM school in Chicago.”
Vladimír Chmelo explained how the program for New York, Chicago, and Iowa was put together.
“As envoys of Czech and Slovak music, we tried to put together a program that featured works by major Czech and Slovak composers. We wanted to reach out to our compatriots who are proud of their heritage. We assumed that Janáček’s folk poetry, Martinů’s Opening of the Wells, Dvořák’s world-famous Gypsy Songs, and the romantic songs by M. Schneider-Trnavský would warm their hearts. And we were very happy when the thunderous applause we received proved us right.”
Has this tour perhaps laid the foundations for further appearances of Ester Pavlů?
“Only time will tell. However, as they say: when you’re on fire, you set other people on fire. Ester is currently in great singing form and full of energy with a burning desire to pass on an armful of emotions to her audience. I truly believe that people will retain memories of her for a long time and that she will be coming back in the future.”
The accompanying pianist Ahmad Hedar commented on performing Martinů, Dvořák, and Janáček for New World audiences.
“We have experienced four very different musical performances. We opened our tour with a grandiose gala concert in the Bohemian National Hall in New York where over a half of the audience were invited diplomats, music professionals, scientists, and compatriots, including celebrities such as Magda Vášáryová and Martina Formanová. The direct positive response from these people at the post-concert reception boosted our confidence for the performances that followed.
Later, in Chicago, where there’s traditionally a larger Czech community, we felt a lot more relaxed. The concert in the Chopin Theater was lauded by diplomats, theater management, and Polish compatriots because following the COVID pandemic, it was the first large-scale cultural event to introduce artists from the Czech Republic. The third concert in Cedar Rapids, known as the “Athens of the American Midwest” thanks to its rich cultural life, with members of third or fourth generation Czech emigrants among the audience, was a return to their roots for Iowan compatriots. The cherry on top was an Advent Season performance in the snow-covered town of Spillville in the church where Antonín Dvořák once played the organ.”
It’s no secret that Ester Pavlů would like to follow up on her newly established American contacts soon and come back to America with a wider European repertoire.
Miroslav Konvalina, Director, Czech Center New York
