The Krumlov Festival is curating performances specifically designed to harmonise with various venues in and around Český Krumlov. The General Director, Gabriela Rachidi, emphasises that this deep connection to the genius loci is now part of the festival’s identity and the reason for its enduring appeal among audiences.
The Krumlov Festival is curating performances specifically designed to harmonise with various venues in and around Český Krumlov. The General Director, Gabriela Rachidi, emphasises that this deep connection to the genius loci is now part of the festival’s identity and the reason for its enduring appeal among audiences.
Marking its 35th anniversary, Festival Krumlov has chosen the theme “Labyrinth of Stories”. This is not just a thematic thread, but also a way of working with the town, its monuments, the landscape, and the audience’s expectations. What does it mean for you today to cultivate a festival brand that has a tradition, yet must also offer a new reason for visitors to return to Český Krumlov every year?
I believe the key lies in balancing tradition, discovery, and experimentation. The Krumlov Festival benefits from an inspiring setting that allows us to preserve its heritage while constantly introducing new perspectives. Alongside iconic venues that define the festival’s identity, Český Krumlov and its surroundings offer a wealth of unique spaces that enable innovation every year.
Engaging with the genius loci is central to our mission. Rather than using beautiful locations merely as backdrops, we seek a genuine connection between music and place. Even after 35 years and more than 45 venues, we continue to discover hidden gems, allowing us to offer visitors a new experience every season.
This season’s programme combines classical music, opera, contemporary works, film and theatre music, alongside site-specific productions. How do you define the boundary between expanding the audience and maintaining the festival’s artistic prestige?
Artistic excellence remains our non-negotiable priority. When we include film music, crossover projects, or video game music, they must meet the same high standards regarding performers, dramaturgy, and musical quality. We do not see these projects as concessions to popularity, but as opportunities to present quality music in a broader context.
If a project meets our standards, we are happy to include it. It attracts new audiences and can also serve as a gateway to classical music for visitors who might not otherwise discover it.
This year’s festival will utilise fourteen concert venues throughout Český Krumlov and its surroundings. How challenging is it, in economic, production, and technical terms, to adapt performances to these specific settings, and what makes this site-specific strategy advantageous for the event?
Economically, technically, and in production terms, this approach is far more demanding than working in traditional concert halls. We often create complete concert venues from scratch, building stages, auditoriums, and technical infrastructure in places where none normally exist. Historic locations frequently present additional challenges, from limited facilities and power supply to difficult access.
Despite these complexities, the strategy is worthwhile because it delivers exactly what audiences seek: exceptional artistry enhanced by an extraordinary environment. When music, setting, and atmosphere align, they create experiences that conventional venues simply cannot replicate.
The programme features world premieres, young talents, masterclasses, and internationally renowned names. What role should the Krumlov Festival play in supporting a new generation of artists and commissioning new works, so that it is not merely a showcase for finished projects, but also a place where new projects are created?
Supporting young talent and encouraging new work is one of our core missions. The festival has long opened its stages to emerging artists and created opportunities for them to gain visibility. I am also delighted by the development of masterclasses and our cooperation with the Summer Interpretation Courses, which have a long tradition in Český Krumlov. In previous years, the festival also hosted ballet masterclasses led by Jiří Bubeníček, giving young dancers a unique opportunity to perform during the opening evening alongside leading international artists.
For classical music to remain vibrant, it is not enough to perform the masterpieces of the past; we must also create opportunities for new works to emerge. This season, we are proud to present two world premieres by Tomáš Kačo and Ondřej Brousek, both commissioned specifically for the Krumlov Festival.
We are also increasingly combining music with other artistic disciplines to create original projects designed uniquely for our festival.
Starting in October 2025, your role as the General Director has centred on strategic growth, artistic vision, and partnership management. In your view, what constitutes a sustainable model for a major Czech music festival today, one that can compete on the global stage, uphold high artistic standards, and remain accessible to a broad audience?
Funding is the foundation of sustainability. Long-term stability and the confidence of our partners are essential. One of our greatest strengths is a network of enduring partnerships, including decades-long collaborations with Kooperativa, ČEPS, and Madeta. These relationships enable us to plan with vision and continuity.
Another key pillar is high-quality programming with international reach. We strive to balance established stars, emerging talents, and projects rooted in the local community, while strong relationships with international talent agencies help us bring world-class performers to Český Krumlov.
At the same time, accessibility remains important. Through site-specific productions, premieres, affordable ticket prices, and free accompanying programmes, we aim to remain open to a broad audience. For us, sustainability means combining artistic excellence, economic stability, and openness.
This year’s programme features many prominent names and projects that require extensive preparation, sensitive handling, and meticulous production. Is there a concert or project in it where you ask yourself: this took an extraordinary amount of effort, but was it worth it? And is there anything among them to which you have a personal connection?
I have always been passionate about combining different artistic disciplines, and this year’s opening production, A Thousand and One Nights / Scheherazade, reflects that passion perfectly. It is both one of the projects closest to my heart and one of the greatest artistic and production challenges of the season.
In the unique setting of the Summer Riding Hall, we are bringing together Iranian percussionists, a symphony orchestra, a world-class soprano, storytellers, dancers, and acrobats in a single theatrical experience. Such a project requires extensive preparation, sensitive coordination, and a willingness to cross artistic boundaries.
I believe this is precisely what attracts our audience: the combination of world-class artistry, creative originality, and the incomparable genius loci of Český Krumlov, which elevates the entire experience.
