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Published: September 10th 2012
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An Annual Event
There is a very interesting event in Prague each September, a free opera in the woods. On the first Sunday of September the National Orchestra and Opera present an opera in the woods, on a hillside in the Sarka Valley. We love to walk through the cool green shade and follow the path of Sarka Potom (Sarka Stream) through the winding valley. Though in the city of Prague it has the feel of being on a trail off the Skyline Drive in Virginia.
Czechs and Their Music
The love the Czech people have for music shows as hundreds of people of all ages walk to the site of the opera. Except for a very few they all walk a minimum of a mile to attend the presentation. There is no parking space and the few who are driven there are let out while the driver returns to a location where parking is permitted. In general these are elderly or infirm people though many with canes and great difficulty walking come on foot. Czechs are a hearty lot and don't seem to let a little old age or a bad hip or knee keep
them from hiking and getting around. Everyone has to find their own seat on the ground of the steep hillside to see the performance of the opera.
The Kiss -- Smetana
This year the presentation was of Smetana's 'The Kiss'. A young man wants to marry a young woman, but her father knows both are very stubborn and is afraid they will have many arguments and will not give his approval. Finally he is persuaded to approve whereupon the young man tries to kiss his intended. She refuses the kiss as she insists he can only kiss her after they are married. The father is proven right in that they immediately become embroiled in a huge argument. He heads off in a huff. Each of them starts to feel sorry for their stupid argument. Somehow or the other a gang of ruffians becomes part of the story and has something to do with getting them back together. To make a long story short, in the end they are to be married, she relents and allows him the kiss. We simply have to hope it is a happy marriage without too many arguments.
An Annual Trek
Each year after worship has ended at the Sarka Valley Community Church those interested gather at the seminary reception building and walk the three or four kilometers to enjoy the opera. Today about ten or twelve of us made the trek, first walking the trail beside the small creek that flows through the Sarka Valley and then turning to climb to the top of the ridge. Once on top of the ridge it was another kilometer to the performance site. However, it really did not seem far. Good company and good conversations seemed to shorten the distance.We had quite a lot of rain two days ago, so we all took plastic trashbags to sit on and keep our bottoms dry. It was a good idea. The ground on the hillside was not muddy, but it was damp enough that anyone sitting with no plastic protection surely ended up uncomfortably wet.
Food and Drink
An event such as the opera in the woods would not be complete without food and drinks for sale. As this is the Czech Republic this means at least four kinds of grilled sausages, beer, soft drinks and the wonderful sweet charcoal
baked dough covered with cinnimon sugar and nuts. This is a treat that Nancy loves. Truely they are very tasty. Strange to say this dessert is more expensive than a sausage with bread and mustard. It was our fun to treat two women, one from Holland and the other from Australia to their first taste of this Czech baked traditional food.
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Bob Harrison
non-member comment
Opera in the Woods
Your words made the 1-mile trek over hill and dale seem alluring and worth the effort...and then the photos appeared to help me savor the food, the actors and the experience. Next best thing to being there! Thank you.