The Janáček Museum is just off the junction of Smetanova and Kounicova (walk up Kounicova as far as its junction with Smetanova; the large building on the right corner is the organ school, and the museum is behind it, entrance on Smetanova). When I arrived the museum was locked and the curator out for lunch, but someone from the organ school kindly let me in. Ten minutes later the curator returned, and proceeded to give me a brilliant 40-minute tour of the two rooms, with a huge amounts of interesting detail.
There are many small exhibits. She talked about Janacek's operas, his folk interest, the influence of Kamila (with whom he almost had an affair but who really was just a good friend and continuing inspiration), his interest in Russian culture, and his family. His daughter Olga (both his children were given Russion names) was a good linguist and he encouraged her to learn Russian; sadly she died at the age of 21 after becoming ill on a trip to St Petersberg. His son Vladimir died at the age of two.
Janáček founded the organ school elsewhere in Brno, moving it to its present site about 20 years later, in 1910. The house – now the museum – was built as the Director's house, and Janáček lived here until his death in 1928; he died while on holiday at his summer house. |
