Špalíček (ballet)

Špalíček (The Chap-Book or The Czech Year), is a 1932 three-act ballet composed by Bohuslav Martinů (H. 214). It premiered in 1933 in Prague with the subtitle "Ballet from folk games, customs, and fairytales - Ballet-revue".^[1]

Acts

• Act I: Fairy Tale of Puss in Boots
• Act II: Fairy Tale of the Cobbler and Death
• Act III: Fairy Tale of Cinderella

The material is inspired by tales and poems by Karel Jaromír Erben.

Music

The ballet makes use of Bohemian/Moravian folk music with Martinů's characteristic scoring.

Recordings

• Supraphon (SU 3925-2): (recorded 1988): Anna Kratochvílová (soprano), Miroslav Kopp (tenor), Richard Novák (bass), Kantilena Children's chorus (Chorus master Ján Sedláček), Kühn Female Chorus, Chorus master Pavel Kühn, Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, Conducted by František Jílek.

See also

• Špalíček in Czech Wikipedia
• Puss in Boots
• Cinderella

References

Bohuslav Martinů
Operas	Comedy on the Bridge (1937) Alexandre bis (1937) Julietta (1938) What Men Live By (1953) The Marriage (1953) Mirandolina (1959) Ariane (1961) The Greek Passion (1961)
Ballets	La Revue de cuisine Špalíček
Orchestral music	Symphony No. 1 Symphony No. 2 Symphony No. 3 Symphony No. 4 Symphony No. 5 Symphony No. 6 The Frescoes of Piero della Francesca
Concertante	Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano, and Timpani Violin Concerto No. 2 Oboe Concerto
Chamber music	String Quartet No. 1 Flute Sonata Clarinet Sonatina
Piano music	Three Czech Dances Piano Sonata
Vocal music	Field Mass The Epic of Gilgamesh The Opening of the Wells
Collaborations	Homage to Paderewski
Named for Martinů	Martinů Quartet
Related articles	Music of the Czech Lands
List of compositions by Bohuslav Martinů Category:Compositions by Bohuslav Martinů