Prague: 34th Praga Cantat Festival and Choral Competition

The “Praga Cantat” Competition and the Choral Singing Festival are the quintessential Prague choral event. In 30 years, more than 900 choirs from 38 countries have met. The city of the Hundred Bell towers and the many churches, castles and palaces will seduce you with in particular the Charles Bridge, the Saint Nicolas Church, the Hradcany Castle and the historic town: this magnificent heritage classified by UNESCO offers a superb atmosphere for this meet. The Festival and the Competition take place in the Mayakovsky Hall of the National House, a unique place from the Neo-Renaissance era.

 

Program 4 days / 3 nights

Day 1 – PRAGUE

Arrival at hotel, welcome by  local guide and accommodation in your rooms.

6:00 pm: reception for choir directors and presidents (2 people per choir) at the Old Town Hall.

Dinner (optional) at the hotel and free evening.

Overnight at the hotel.

 

Day 2 – PRAGUE

Breakfast at hotel.
10:00 am: Official opening ceremony of the event by a concert performed by the famous Cezech choirs « Cancioneta Praga » and « Bonifantes », in the Nationale House, Na Vinohrady, Prague 2, where the competition and the festival will take place as well as the Closing ceremony. (http://www.nardum.cz/en)
Free lunchtime.
Afternoon from 2:00 pm untill evening: Competition for each catgegory.
For choirs participatinng in the festival (category G), free time in Prague or possibility  of listening to the participating choirs in the competition. OU, possibility of performing in a retirement home (on resquest and depending on the available time).
Free dinnnertime and free evening.
We can reserve tickets in one of the theaters of Prague, as Black Light Theater, National Theater National, Municipal House or Opera.
Overnight at hotel.

 

Day 3 – PRAGUE

Breakfast at hotel.
9:00 am: guided visit of Prague including the visit of the Castle district (Hradcany), city in the city.
You will see: Royal Palais, St Georges Basilica, masterpiece of medieval Czech art, the Church of Our Lady of Loreto, Saint Vitus Cathedral which houses an admirable stained glass window by the painter Mucha, the Strahov Convent which houses two famous libraries, the legendary golden lane …. Entrances NOT included. Free time for lunch for all the choirs.

2:00 p.m .: Competition for the “Grand Prix 2020”. All choirs can attend.

Free time for dinner.
20:00 pm: Closing Ceremony at the National House with awards and deiploma, then all together performance of the compulsory pieces in each category, and short performance of the winner of the « Grand Prix » Competition. At the end, dancing party.
Back hotel by your own. Overnight.

Day 4 – PRAGUE – Back home

Breakfast at hotel. Check out.

Back home or extension.

 

Standard program, which may be subject to modification by the organizer. Possibility of meeting a local choir if prolongation of stay: contact us.

 

Optional guided tours in Prague:

1. The Old Town – “Stare Mesto” (1/2 day) The heart of Prague beats in the Old Town, a labyrinth of cobbled streets, lively and picturesque. This district, which dates back more than a thousand years, is one of the most important places in the history of Bohemia. It stretches from Old Town Square to the famous Charles Bridge. You will discover the Town Hall and the superb 15th century astronomical clock, St Nicolas Church, the Kinsky Palace with its rococo facade, the Stone Bell House, the most precious building in the Old Town, the church Gothic Notre-Dame de Tyn, then Place de la République where the Powder Tower stands and the magnificent “Art Nouveau” building of the Municipal House (Obecni dum).

 

2. “Mala Strana” (1/2 day) Located at the foot of the castle, Mala Strana “the little side” is the aristocratic district of Prague where you go from marvelous palaces to secret gardens, through alleys and stairs. (This maze of alleys appears in the film “Amadeus” directed by the Czech Milos Forman). You will discover the Church of St Nicolas, a masterpiece of Baroque art, with all its exuberance and excess. The church is distinguished in the distance by its green dome, 75 m high, topped by the bell tower. It was in this church that Mozart, while in Prague, played the organ in 1787. You will cross the famous Charles Bridge (14th century) which offers a magnificent panorama of the Castle and the river. It links Mala Strana to the Old Town.