Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer who had a very positive relationship with the spa town of Luhačovice, where he frequently stayed. He enjoyed wandering through nature and listening to birdsong. He would sit on benches and jot down melodies on pieces of paper or shirt cuffs, inspired by his surroundings. Luhačovice played an important role in Leoš Janáček’s life. Here he met several women who touched him emotionally and became his inspiration. In Luhačovice, he treated his vocal cords, nasopharynx, and aching joints.
Janáček probably first visited the spa in 1886 at the invitation of his uncle Jan Janáček, a parish priest from Vnorovy. He became a regular guest from 1903 onwards. With few exceptions, he stayed here every year during the summer holidays until his death in 1928 – a total of twenty-five times. The spa, designed by architect Dušan Jurkovič, was a centre for meetings of prominent Czech personalities. He spent much time with the Veselý couple. In 1908, he met Marie Calma Veselá, the wife of the spa director at the time. He was enchanted by the beauty of her voice, her charm, and intelligence. Thanks to her, the opera Her Stepdaughter, renamed Jenůfa, was performed at the National Theatre. Marie Calma hoped she would get the title role herself. The composer preferred another singer, and the couple were not even invited to the premiere in the end.
During his first visit, he was accommodated at Villa Vlastimila. He stayed here five times in total. It was built as the first structure by Slovak architect Dušan Jurkovič. Here the composer began writing The Diary of One Who Disappeared. The villa now serves the youngest patients. Most often, however, Leoš Janáček spent his health stays at the Augustinian House, where he wrote The Cunning Little Vixen in 1922 and the famous Glagolitic Mass in 1926. These operatic compositions represent the pinnacle of his lifework and continue to influence world music composition to this day. He also visited the hotel named after his good friend, Bedřich Smetana House. He was also accommodated at Jurkovič House, formerly known as Jan’s House. This lies in the very heart of the Spa Square near the spa colonnade. Once, Janáček also visited Villa Jestřabí, which is located opposite the Sun and River Baths. The composer’s last visit to the spa was in 1928.
The first important person mentioned was Marie Calma Veselá, who contributed to the beginning of Janáček’s fame. At the spa, he also met two charming women named Kamila. The life story of Kamila Urválková became the subject of his next opera, Fate. The first act of this composition takes place on the Luhačovice colonnade itself. He met his second muse, Kamila Stösslová, in 1917 in a Prague district, and their long friendship gradually developed into deep affection.
In honour of the composer, a music festival called Janáček and Luhačovice Festival has been held annually since 1992. The festival ranks among prestigious musical events in the Czech Republic. During the event, there is a rich programme featuring a wide range of dramatic and musical genres at the Spa Theatre. The regular opening venue is the bust of Leoš Janáček, located near the Inhalatorium. It is made of marble and bronze, created by Karel Pokorný in 1954.
