Culture for May 2023: The best performances, art, and film in Czechia this month

Agrikultura lásky at the National Museum of Agriculture explores connections between humans and nature via visual art (May 2-July 2).
Art and wine SmetanaQ Gallery hosts its first art/wine event featuring Austrian wine from the Gross winery and an exhibition of paintings by Jakub Špaňhel (May 11).
Near and Far An exhibit of children's artworks opens at the National Gallery; the event dates to 1974 (May 13).
We are open (May 19-21) This annual gallery hop around the Letná area is in its 13th year.
Open House Praha 2023, lets visitors explore some of Prague's most unique buildings and architectural landmarks (May 15-21).
Renewed Face Last chance to view an exhibition of Syrian artifacts, restored in the National Museum, from the Bronze Age and Antiquity (ends May 17).
Jiří Matějů's Φurlicht exhibition features a collection of minimalist works inspired by the philosophy of Jorge Luis Borges. (Bold Gallery until May 21).
Art Is Already a Bore showcases works from approximately 35 contemporary artists who studied at AVU in Prague (at Kampus Hybernská until May 27). Free entry.

The Matrix Trilogy Marathon at Kino Aero brings viewers The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Matrix Revolutions (May 13).
Cloudburst the Canadian comedy-drama being called this generation's Thelma and Lousie, is at the LGBT+ community center as part of the Queer Spring Cinema Program (May 15).
Alejandro Jodorowsky gets a retrospective of four early film. See the Chilean-French director's Fando and Lis, El Topo, Holy Mountain, and Santa Sangre at Edison Filmhub with Czech and English subtitles (May 24 and 28).
The next movie in the Some Like It Czech series is a tribute to Czechoslovak pilots who served in the British Royal Air Force during World War II. Catch Dark Blue World at Kino Aero (May 17).
Everybody Street is a documentary that offers a glimpse into the lives of iconic street photographers inspired by New York at the Center for Architecture and Metropolitan Planning (May 12).
The Metropolitan Opera in New York’s version of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni is at Kino Aero with English and Czech subtitles (May 20).

Prague Spring features classical music throughout the month at various venus, starting as always with Smetana's "Má vlast." (May 12–June 2).
James Holden will be at Meet Factory with his club-inspired sounds (May 13).
Pongo, an Angolan-Portuguese singer-songwriter, plays pop and progressive kuduro at Palác Akropolis (May 16).
Benny the Butcher will perform rap and hip-hop at Lucerna Music Bar (May 17).
Martin Kohlstedt, a German composer and keyboard player, shows off his technique at Palác Akropolis (May 18).
Diana Krall earned two Grammys and many other awards for her jazz piano and vocals. She will be at Prague Congress Center (May 20).
Elderbook has added a second show of electronic music at Roxy due to high demand (May 23).
Musical Walks in the Botanical Garden in Troja start with Trio Iuventa playing Mozart and other composers (May 28).
Robert Cray plays at Lucerna Music Bar (May 28) and Walter Trout is at Palác Akropolis (May 30) as part of the ongoing Prague International Bluenight concert series.
Khamoro Festival is a large-scale annual celebration of Romani culture with concerts and performances at venues across Prague. Now in its jubilee year (May 28–June 3).

Dangerous Liaisons, will be performed in Czech with English surtitles at National Theatre. The drama is adapted from the novel by Choderlos de Laclos (May 5, 8, 11, and 12).
Correction (Korekce), an award-winning dance piece, ends its run at Ponec (May 9).
La Sylphide is considered a gem of 19th-century Romantic ballet. The State Opera is launching a new production, which will play several times throughout the month (premieres May 11 and 12).
Through the Air (Vzduchem) showcases the new circus techniques of Losers Cirque Company at Divadlo Bravo! (May 10 and 11).
Doubleshot will be performed by Dekkadancers as part of the Bread and Dance festival. (May 16)
Macbeth – Too Much Blood adapts the Shakespeare play to simple English at Divadlo Na zábradlí (May 16).
Armida, the last opera by Antonín Dvořák, has a new staging at the National Theatre (premieres on May 19 and 21).
Marysha (Maryša) is well-known to all Czechs. The classic rural drama has one performance this month with English surtitles at the National Theatre (May 22).
Prague Fringe Festival offers 35 English-friendly productions from around the world ranging from cabaret to comedy to plays across multiple Prague stages. (May 22-27)
Boom Vol. 2 brings Czech and Ukrainian new circus performers together for a mostly nonverbal show at Jatka78 (May 23).
Teacrobat takes viewers inside an acrobat's kitchen for a family show in Ladronka park (daily starting May 28).
Jungle Book returns to Jatka78. Rudyard Kipling's novel has been adapted for new circus by Marko Ivanović and Matěj Forman (May 28 to June 18).

The Rainbow Run & Rainbow Fest Ostrava brings both a run and a colorful entertainment program, with performances from Czech and Slovak artists (May 27).
The ongoing international JazzFestBrno brings renowned international artists such as Donny McCaslin, Kronos Quartet, and Diana Krall to scenes across the city (throughout the month of May).
Catch the exhibition Ivan Antoš: Nejenom Shakespeare (Not just Shakespeare) in Liberec for an overview of Antoš’ work as a scenographer, puppet artist, and illustrator (until May 28).
The Moravian Beer Festival (Moravská vernisáž piva) in Olomouc offers almost a hundred beers of various styles and flavors from 25 craft breweries from Moravia and Silesia (between May 19 and 20).
The festival Žonglobalizace 2023 in Pilsen brings adrenaline-filled circus acts, daily circus workshops for adults and children, and afterparties with DJs (between May 14 and 20).