Dobrý den!

Greetings from Prague, Czech Republic. We’re currently in production on a new project, documenting the Ole Miss Opera and their performance of Hamlet in the Czech Republic in the Spring. I’ve gotten the opportunity to accompany University professor Julia Aubrey who is directing the opera to Prague as she visits several opera houses to select the venue. It’s truly a remarkable place. Cobblestone streets, castles popping up over the skyline, and gold accents on almost every building. You’d almost think you had found yourself in some gigantic medieval attraction at Disney World but with far better beer!

Today, we visited a beautiful opera house in the southern part of the city that will most likely be the location of the performance. It was a truly beautiful theatre with ornate decorative walls over 200 years old. It’s the kind of place that would make even the most seasoned performer gasp.

Tomorrow, we’re traveling a few hours into the country to a small village where we’ll interview the composer of the opera, an Ole Miss graduate from 1962 named Nancy Van DeVate who has established a truly world class career in Vienna as a composer.  We’ve had the great fortune of having two wonderful representatives of the managing group who are assisting the University with the logistics of performing in the Czech Republic to serve as our unofficial tour guides. Needless to say, we have visited secret back rooms of wine stores used during the Communist regime to discuss forbidden topics and been treated to first hand accounts of the tense work performed around the country during the Velvet Revolution over goulash and potato dumplings. But, I digress. This is a magical place and a wonderful opportunity to document a very unique upcoming outreach event for the University.

– Matthew