česky  english 

Advanced search
na_celou_sirku
Photo: Velvyslanectví ČR v Manile
Article notification Print Decrease font size Increase font size

Czech poetry jukebox in Manila

The first poetry jukebox in the Phillipines was just installed by the Czech Embassy in One HSB Park on High Street in BGC, Taguig. It recites poetry for free, without need of coins. All you need is to stop for a while, press the button, select a poem and listen. This unique Czech invention of poetry jukebox, brought to life by a Czech culture activist Ondřej Kobza, is the first installation of the poetry jukebox in Asia (after installations in Prague, New York etc.).

 

Poetry jukebox (in Czech „poeziomat“), which plays 20 poems (9 Czech, 1 Slovak and 10 Filipino), is a gift from the Czech Republic to Taguig City, to commemorate the 100th independence of Czech and Slovak Statehood .

Passers-by can listen to Czech delicate verses of Antonín Sova, Vítězslav Nezval, Jiří Orten, Václav Hrabě or Fráňa Šrámek, to name a few. Slovak poetry is represented by a progressive poetess Eleni Cay.

Ten carefully selected Philippine poets on the list include Virgilio Senadren Almario, Joselito D. Delos Reyes, Mikael De Lara Co Gemino Abad, Mookie Katigbak Lacuesta Jerry B. Gracio, Allan Pastrana, Ildefonso Santos, Roland S. Tinio and last but not least Krip Yuson.

The project would not be complete without captivating voices of Lourd de Veyra, Mikael De Lara Co, Indra Cepeda, Krip Yuson, and Allan Pastrana, who lent their super panalo voices to poems by themselves and by Jerry Gracio, Virgilio Senadren Almario, Gemino H Abad, Joselito D. Delos Reyes.

Czech Embassy wishes to explicitly appreciate tremendous support extended by writer and publisher Sarge Lacuesta, for helping to select the poems and producing the recordings.

Poetry jukebox in Manila was unveiled by Ambassador of the Czech Republic Jaroslav Olša jr., National Commission for Culture and the Arts Chairman Virgilio Almario and City of Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano.

The poetry jukebox is to be in the spot permanently - thanks to agreement with Bonifacio Arts Foundation Incorporated (BAFI).

Galleries


Czech Poetry Jukebox in Manila