An evening of live performance and literary reflection—photo gallery below.
On Tuesday, May 27, we were proud to host the world premiere of a new musical interpretation of Czech poet Jan Zábrana’s work, presented as part of the Rehearsal for Truth theater festival. The concert featured acclaimed composer and pianist Martin Brunner alongside vocalist Markéta Foukalová.
Performed in both Czech and English, the program paired Zábrana’s introspective and emotionally rich poetry with original musical settings by Brunner. In addition to the new compositions, the duo also revisited select songs from the repertoire of Hudba Praha—one of Václav Havel’s favorite bands—arranged for piano and voice in commemoration of the anniversary of Havel’s passing.
The second half of the evening featured material from Svou chvíli, a previous collaboration between Brunner and Foukalová that received critical acclaim and earned Foukalová a nomination for Female Artist of the Year at the Anděl Awards. Their performance combined lyrical clarity with expressive musicality, offering a varied and textured listening experience.
The concert was followed by a discussion led by Professor Chris Harwood of Columbia University, focusing on Jan Zábrana’s life, legacy, and the continued relevance of his poetry in contemporary culture.
Explore our full photo gallery of highlights captured by Steve Prue.
