PCQ was in TRNC as part of the Famagusta Culture and Art Festival: A night at Othello...

The 25th International Famagusta Culture and Arts Festival, held in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, began on June 25 with a concert by Adamlar, a rising Turkish alternative rock band. The second guest of the festival, organized by the Famagusta Municipality, the Prague Cello Quartet (PCQ), met with Turkish Cypriots the previous evening. Consisting of four professional musicians who graduated from the music academy; cellists Jan Zvěřina, Štěpán Švestka and Michal Haring, double bassist Tomáš Otevřel and drummer Stanislav Amcha, PCQ treated the audience to a nostalgic, enjoyable and historical night in every sense of the word.

THEATERIALS ATTITUDE

PCQ performed their first concert in the TRNC at Othello Castle, which was built by the Lusignans who ruled the Kingdom of Cyprus in the 14th century, converted into a military fortress after Cyprus was captured by the Republic of Venice, and was also known to have been used as a prison in 1566. The band presents a unique approach to classical music with their deep, jazz-inspired transitions on stage, performing popular songs in a symphonic structure. In addition to their classical repertoire, the band also performed much-loved songs such as Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida”, Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, Justin Hurwitz’s “Another Day of Sun”, which became famous in the movie La La Land, and Hans Zimmer and Klaus Badelt’s “Pirates of the Carribean”, which was composed for the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. The band’s most striking feature is their theatrical attitude on stage. They are not just performing music, they are also opening the curtain of the imaginary theatre that stands before them.

'WE WANT TO COME TO Türkiye AGAIN'

After the concert we spoke to Jan Zvěřina, one of the cellists of the group and the person who played a key role in the emergence of this group. Zvěřina says that the night at Othello was an incredible experience. Zvěřina adds: “Playing in front of such a dedicated and understanding audience is always a pleasure. From the very first moment we felt a very special connection with the audience and this gave us even more energy to do our best on stage. Every concert is unique and this one in particular left us with very beautiful memories. We are excited to see how the music we perform reaches so many people and creates unforgettable moments for both the audience and us.”

'REWARDING EXPERIENCE'

We ask Zvěřina how their first concert in the TRNC went. “The truth is that we feel very welcomed,” she says. She says that they were pleasantly surprised to see how the TRNC people connected with their music from the very beginning, even with the more unusual pieces or modern arrangements. “It’s very special for us to be able to share what we do with new listeners in different parts of the world. We would definitely like to come back in the future,” she says.

PCQ performed for the first time in Türkiye in Ankara in 2023. We asked Zvěřina if there will be another concert in Türkiye. She replied: “We have very special memories from that visit. It was our first concert in Türkiye. The audience welcomed us with open arms and it was a very rewarding experience for us to play there. As for future concerts, we would love to come back soon, whether it is in Ankara, Istanbul or another city. We would be happy to reconnect with the Turkish audience.