1997

If you walked through “Svornost” Square in Český Krumlov on the evening of August 9, 1997, you would feel like you appeared in the middle of Italy. The most beautiful opera arias by Puccini, Verdi, Leoncavallo, and other Italian composers were played in the square as part of the “Italian Night”. Performed by Eva Urbanová, Monika Brychtová, Antonia Salvadori, and Gianfranco Cécchele and the Prague State Opera Orchestra under the baton of conductor Filippo Zigante, it was an unforgettable and emotional experience. Half a billion people saw the concert thanks to the broadcast of Czech Television and the Italian television station, which sold broadcasting rights all over the world.