Opera legend Plácido Domingo, American jazz drummer Billy Cobham, writer and composer Dan Brown and the charming Český Krumlov. A combination that is irresistible. The International Music Festival Český Krumlov will take place for the thirtieth time this year. The jubilee will off er twelve concerts from 4 to 18 September where visitors will hear the biggest international and Czech stars, and not only from the genre of classical music.
The IMF Český Krumlov is one of the most important cultural events in the Czech Republic. This year, it will be celebrating its 30th anniversary. If you look back at the history of the festival, how would you evaluate its entire period so far?
When the festival was founded in 1992, the aim was to gradually build an international festival in Český Krumlov that would regularly host the best artists from the Czech Republic and worldwide. I think that we have succeeded. Names like Plácido Domingo, Renée Fleming, Jonas Kaufmann and many others confirm this. We have brought classical music into the beautiful exteriors of the city and the castle and created a series of unique concerts. During its existence, the festival has also gone through very critical situations: the floods of 1997 and 2002, the economic crisis of 2008-2009 and the current pandemic situation. So far, however, we have made it through all the crises, thanks to the constant support of our partners, visitors and often the understanding of the artists.
Business and culture definitely belong together. Can you explain this to your business partners, and what can you offer them?
I think we can achieve that in the long term. If we could not, the festival would not be able to take place. Public support and fundraising from entrance fees would certainly not be enough. We live in a time when we need to appreciate all those who invest their financial resources in culture and contribute to the cultivation of our society so that we as organisers, together with the guest artists, can bring extraordinary experiences. We offer a wide range of opportunities for business partners to present themselves, associate their business name with an internationally renowned event, and invite their business partners to festival concerts and side events. The festival is also an important economic resource for public budgets due to its multiplier effects. It contributes to the promotion of the Czech Republic being perceived as a significant cultural and tourist destination.
Classical music and the environment of the Český Krumlov castle create a genius loci. How does this combination fulfil your vision of the festival in the future?
The long-term care for the historical legacy of our ancestors, which is continuously ongoing, will ensure that we pass on a beautiful and, I am not afraid to say, unique environment to the next generation. Krumlov is a lovely festival town where people can meet everywhere, not just at concerts. However, we still have many ideas that are waiting to be realised.
Thank you for the interview.
Text: Lucie Herberová
Foto: archiv MHF Český Krumlov
