The dialogue goes usually like this:
OperaChic: You know, Smetana is real--
Random Classical Music Know-It-All: Yea yea Moldau lol Bartered Bride lol Smetana lol rofl ahahaha
At this point, Opera Chic usually stabs them in the eye with a stiletto.
Because Bedrich Smetana is anything but a folk phenomenon, and even less of a one-hit wonder hack. He is a real composer, capable of creating a great work such as Dalibor (check out this Leonie Rysanek version if you haven't already, it's a keepah), and delicious string quartets (the piano work is nothing to write home about OC agrees), all before illness destroyed his career and his life. And seriously, Dvořák stole like crazy was very much influenced from poor Smetana's work.
For this reason, it's always good to announce that Smetana's Litomysl International Opera Festival, the largest open-air classical music festival in the Czech Republic, opens today.
The really interesting program is here.
