Bedřich Smetana: My Country / Má vlast

“The Prague State Opera has resolved to take a very brave step. Not only as far as the selection of that very title for a ballet performance but also one that is of an unusually demanding nature for the opera orchestra. The staging offers My Country to the audiences in such a way that is using up the dancers’ strengths to the full. They dance because they love to dance and they also dance because they cannot but dance. The rejuvenated ballet troupe of the Prague State Opera dance for dear life.”

(Marcela Benoniová, Právo)

“Ján Ďurovčík is known for his radical staging interpretations. This time, his updating is reasonable and freely inspired by music. His attempt, although cautious, to build up a “political screen” is just likeable. His sweeping concept is supported by the scene designed by Boris Kudlička. The solution of the prevailingly empty space dominated by a symbol of the heraldic Czech lion is made complete with lighting. The orchestra deserves commendation because, under the baton of Petr Vronský, they rose up to a substantially above-the-standards performance. The ballet troupe of the Prague State Opera, assigned with an unusually demanding choreography by Ďurovčík, offered the viewers an overall pleasant surprise. (…) The idea of presenter Martin Hrdinka to let My Country dance first met with distrust. The outcome, however controversial, is an interesting piece of work.”

(Roman Vašek, Mladá fronta Dnes)

“The authors created an intact piece full of theatrical effects, without having resorted to banalities. The choreography pulses with its own beat, being built with stress placed on chorus scenes and making use of the utmost dispositions and background of the troupe. (…) It presents itself in My Country as a well-coordinated unit capable of dynamic and concentrated performance. This aspect is supported by the composition of movements: rhythmical, pulsing, that does not feature neat chorus lines and elegant gestures. The chorus appears here as a vivid, ever changing element that makes the driving force of the show. (…) The most impressive scenes include the picture of the River Vltava where the bodies of the dancers gradually merge into a single stream, same as the red lines thickening against the black background. The authors of the new ballet performance of My Country have managed to defend their concept on the scene and stood the test of Smetana’s work with honours.”

(Lucie Dercsényiová, Lidové noviny)

“Ján Ďurovčík has creaated a fresco illustrating the ups and downs in this Republic’s 20th century existence. Not a trace of sentimentality there, nor for that matter any sign of genuine romantic lyricism either. And yet, the individual scenes are filled with aesthetically powerful moments.”

(Helena Kazárová, Hudební rozhledy, Praha, 2/2006)