Smetana’s Litomyšl international Music Festival

The Smetana’s Litomyšl festival – Mezinárodní hudební festival Smetanova Litomyšl is the second oldest music festival in the Czech Republic, and at the same time it is among the largest regular classical music festivals held in the country.

It mainly features opera performances and concerts, as well as gala concerts, oratorios, cantatas and song evenings; forms in which vocal artistry dominates. However symphonic, instrumental and chamber music are not ignored and in the venues, there are ballet performances and church music as well as promenade concerts and other genres. Every year at the festival practically all the top Czech interpreters perform, the three national theatres, all the significant orchestras and choirs and the best conductors, soloists and instrumentalists. Even though there are many significant foreign guests, Smetana’s Litomyšl has retained its Czech character and is truly a national festival.

The centre of the festival is a wonderful Litomyšl State Castle, which in 1999 was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The main events are held mostly at the acoustically excellently prepared second courtyard with its unique retractable roof, the castle riding hall, Litomyšl’s churches, the Smetana Hall and regularly in selected places in the Pardubice region.