Born into a musical family in 1958, with Moravian roots on her mother’s side and Slovakian on her father’s, Bittová studied both drama and music at the Brno Conservatory. Since the mid-1980s she has concentrated on the latter, but she remains a commanding stage presence with her gestures, facial expressions, props and costumes.

She exudes a childlike freedom and lack of affectation with which she is able to wrap audiences around her little finger, just as she can the “classical musicians” with whom she collaborates, be they members of the Škampa String Quartet or the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble. In her abandonment, she coos, chirps and chatters to her violin, and the instrument answers her.

We can never doubt for a moment that she is working some kind of angelic magic, otherwise we would not be able to experience this deeply personal “folk music” quite so much as our own.

Bittová’s voice and violin has been heard on some 26 albums since the appearance of Bittová & Fajt in 1987. This star of contemporary Czech culture – living in New York State since 2007 – last dazzled the Festival Theatre audience in autumn 2011, then in the company of guitarist Vladimír Václavek. She now appears solo to promote a new album out this year, entitled simply Iva Bittová.

12 September 2013, 7.30 pm - 9.30 pm
Festival Theatre

Featuring: Iva Bittová – vocals, violin, kalimba

Prices: 2200, 2900, 3200 Ft

Source: Palace of Arts
Address: 1095 Budapest, Komor Marcell utca 1.