2023 PLU World Music Centers: Prague

Zdravím z Prahy!

On Tuesday we made our way to the Czech Republic. We had the chance to see some beautiful scenery throughout the countryside. We started our visit to Prague in a somber yet educational way at Terezín. I knew that this day would be a hard one, facing challenging realities in such a sad place. Terezín during WWII was a transit camp, ghetto, and a lesser-known concentration camp. I personally am not ready to share my experience from this day, but I will say I have never felt such strong emotions in my life. I'm grateful to have heard the stories of those who suffered, it was truly a life-changing experience. We ended our day at a Czech Folklore Garden with good comfort food and traditional Czech music and dance. A very emotional day across the board!

On our journey to Terezín.

Our second full day in Prague started off strong with a walking tour with our guide, Eva. I feel bad for everyone on this planet who doesn't get to meet this woman, she was phenomenal. On our tour, we had a chance to see some of the most amazing sights, the Strahov Library, the Prague Castle grounds, the Lennon Wall, the Charles Bridge, and all-around amazing views of the city. I learned so much about Czech history and about the history of such a beautiful city. After the tour, I had the chance to see the Prague astronomical clock which was installed in 1411 and is the oldest astronomical clock still in operation today!

View of Prague.

On our third day in Prague, I opted for a more relaxed schedule. Rest is important! The main event of this day was the Czech Philharmonic. Truly a jaw-dropping performance. The program was entirely Czech composers. We had the chance to hear a world premiere and some Leoš Janáček & Antonín Dvořák. The 3 Slavic Rhapsodies were my personal favorite. It was an incredible demonstration of musicianship.

At the Czech Philharmonie.

For our final day in Prague, we had one main event, Kate and the Devil by Dvořák. It was such a fun show! The production really embraced the playfulness of the music and made it family-friendly. Many kids were in the audience which really warmed my heart. It was such a great introduction to opera and classical music for the kids, such an amazing musical education moment. Love, love, love! After the show, a group of us headed to U Fleků, the oldest restaurant in Prague.