Programme

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 “Pastoral”

Bohuslav Martinů
Mariken de Nimègue
European premiere of the first version
opera in concert

Cast

Simona Šaturová Mariken
Jiří Brückler The Devil
Bella Adamova The Virgin Mary
Daniel Matoušek The Jester
Pavel Švingr The Son of God
Vladimír Polívka narrator

Prague Philharmonic Choir
Lukáš Vasilek choirmaster

Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK
Tomáš Netopil conductor

Mariken of Nimegue is a dramatic cantata composed by Bohuslav Martinů in 1934, based on a medieval Dutch legend about a young woman, Mariken, who succumbs to the Devil’s temptation, endures moral and physical suffering, and ultimately finds redemption. Martinů set this balladic narrative to music with a strong sense of drama, employing a combination of solo voices, narrator, choir, and orchestra. The work captivates with its rawness and rhythmic urgency, alternating between lyrical and expressive passages, and rich in symbolism. Mariken reflects the composer’s deep interest in theatrical forms as well as in the fusion of archaic and modern musical elements. It stands as one of his key works of the 1930s, foreshadowing his later focus on musical drama and oratorio.