Knights of Talent – Benefit Concert of the Magdalena Kožená Foundation

The Magdalena Kožená Foundation warmly invites you to the benefit concert Knights of Talent, which will take place on Wednesday, 13 May 2026 at 8:00 p.m. in the Spanish Hall of Prague Castle. This festive evening will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the fund’s founding and will also mark the opening of the 10th edition of the nationwide festival ZUŠ Open. The concert is held under the patronage of the First Lady, Mrs Eva Pavlová, and will be broadcast live on ČT art.

The benefit evening commemorates ten years of systematic support for arts education in the Czech Republic and the development of young talent. The fund creates opportunities that go beyond the capacities of individual schools, supporting and enabling children from disadvantaged backgrounds or with disabilities to discover and cultivate the world of art and culture. Its projects connect education with professional practice across all artistic disciplines and highlight creativity, collaboration and the social dimension of arts education –contributing to the value formation, responsibility and social awareness of the younger generation.

Together with the combined choirs and orchestra of ZUŠ Open, joined by musicians from the Czech Philharmonic and the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, the concert will feature opera singer Jan Martiník and the multi‑genre ensemble Clarinet Factory. The programme will also include young soloists, dance ensembles and scholarship holders of the Magdalena Kožená Endowment Fund. The concert will be conducted by Jan Kučera and hosted by David Mareček. The evening will also include an exhibition of works by scholarship holders from the Colourful Horizons programme, led by painter David Hanvald, displayed in the foyer of the Spanish Hall.

By purchasing a ticket, audience members directly support the projects of the Magdalena Kožená Endowment Fund.