Record Reviews

STEPANKA BALCAROVA ~ O ZTRACENE VODE AMPLION 202502 (Barcode: 8594179225026) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Special Products Recorded: 2024 - 2025 Released: 2025 This is an album by Czech Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Stepanka BalcarovaFind albums by this artist, which presents a Jazz Opera for children, performed by a big cast, which includes a string quartet, a Jazz ensemble with Balcarova, clarinetist Marcel BartaFind albums by this artist, flautist Robert FischmannFind albums by this artist, pianist Vit KristanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jiri SlavikFind albums by this artist and drummer Kamil SlezakFind albums by this artist, a children’s choir and soloists and the narrator Matej FormanFind albums by this artist (son of legendary director Milos FormanFind albums by this artist). The entire opera (twenty tracks) was composed by Balcarova, and tells an educational story about environment issues (the title in English means “About Lost Water”). The sheer scope and imagination behind this project are obviously truly astounding, but judging by Balcarova’s recorded legacy so far, it is not really surprising, as she is quite a wonder-woman, exploding with ideas and ceaselessly pro-active, with a wide range of activities spanning everything from intimate projects to Big Bands and Symphonic projects. This time she does not disappoint either. The music is, not surprisingly, excellent, beautifully performed by the Jazz ensemble and all the other performers, but it is partly on the second plane behind the spoken word / narration. Although the performance is intended for children, this does not mean that the music is simplistic or trivial, on the contrary it is quite complex and multilayered, and yet probably accessible to the younger audiences. I had a blast, obviously, but I stayed secretly a kid underneath the grownup posture. Of course this entire project is based on texts (sung or recited), which means there is a language barrier for people (young and old) not speaking Czech, but the aesthetics of the entire project is so lovely and embracing, that it can overcome language barriers for those, who are willing to embrace it. If this project was translated into many languages, it probably could be a great hit worldwide. Overall, this is a heartwarming, beautiful piece of Art for kids, but full of universal values, both aesthetic and intellectual, and I’d wholeheartedly recommend to all parents to go and see / hear this on stage. Children are always the best judges of true value and quality, and they can smell a chaltura from miles away. My guess is they will love this!

Updated: 09/02/2026Posted: 09/02/2026

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