Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

9am Sunday 16 September and 7pm Monday 17 September 2012

Elric Hooper and Des Wilson look at the work of Bedrich Smetana in this programme, which comes to air in the lead up to NZ Opera’s production of one of his most well-known works, The Bartered Bride. Smetana wrote eight operas but the other seven are not widely known. He also wrote a number of works in other genres, but his most famous is probably Vltava (also known as The Moldau) from the tone poem Ma Vlast.

Smetana lived in an era of European revolution, when Nationalism in music was key. When a competition for a quintessentially Czech opera was held, Smetana won with his first opera, The Brandenbergers in Bohemia.

We used music from the following recordings in the programme:

SMETANA: Overture, from The Bartered Bride - Czech Phil/ Zdenek Kosler (Supraphon 90C37-7309)
SMETANA: Polka, from The Bartered Bride - Janácek Phil /Theodore Kuchar
(Brilliant Classics 93634)
SMETANA: Richard III, symphonic poem - Janácek Phil /Theodore Kuchar
(Brilliant Classics 93634)
SMETANA: Piano Trio in G minor Op 15, mvt 1 - Guarneri Trio (Praga 250 218)
SMETANA: Act I Ballet from The Brandenburgers in Bohemia – BBC Phil/ Gianandrea Noseda (Chandos 10518)
SMETANA: Až uzříš, komus koupil nevěstu – Peter Dvorský (ten), Czech Phil/ Zdenek Kosler (Supraphon 90C37-7309)
SMETANA: Prelude to Act II, from The Two Widows - BBC Phil/ Gianandrea Noseda (Chandos 10518)
SMETANA: From Bohemia's Woods & Fields, from Má Vlast - Prague Phil/ Jakub Hrusa (Supraphon SU4032)
SMETANA: String Quartet No 1, mvt 4 - Talich String Quartet (Calliope CAL 9332)
SMETANA: Vltava, from Má Vlast - Prague Phil/ Jakub Hrusa (Supraphon SU4032)