Pardubice boys’ choir Bonifantes to perform at Expo 2025 in Osaka
The prestigious Bonifantes Boys’ Choir from Pardubice is setting off on a tour of Japan. One of the highlights of the tour will be a performance at Expo 2025 in Osaka, where the choir will premiere Panta Rhei, a composition by Czech composer Jan Jirásek, based on texts from Japanese and Christian liturgy.
The Bonifantes Boys’ Choir was founded in 1999 in Pardubice by choirmaster Jan Míšek. Talent auditions were held in all Pardubice elementary schools and within just one year, the choir had nearly 200 members. Thanks to its professional leadership, the ensemble quickly established itself among the top European choirs.
To date, Bonifantes have given more than 500 concerts across Europe, America, and Asia (including the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Japan, Thailand, and the United States). They have also appeared in major operatic productions — such as Bizet’s Carmen, Puccini’s Tosca, and Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, and in films, including Napoleon.
Choirmaster Jan Míšek says that although the choir has previously performed in Japan, every tour is a highly-anticipated event.
“We’re incredibly excited, of course. Japan is an extraordinarily cultivated, fascinating country where people not only love Czech music, but in addition to that, boys’ choirs are extremely popular there. So, after a concert, there are meetings with the audience in the foyer of the hall, and it can last for an hour and a half — the boys sign programs, CDs, and pose for photos with fans.”
The performance at the Osaka Expo 2025 will be a world premiere. Panta Rhei is a composition based on texts from Japanese and Christian liturgy. Composer Jan Jirásek, who works closely with the choir and attends rehearsals, says the piece is not easy to perform.
“It’s actually a compilation of several spiritual texts that create a certain contrast — a contrast that is manifested in the music.”
The composition has been in rehearsal for more than six months. Choirmaster Jan Míšek says it definitely presented a challenge.
“All the pieces that Jan Jirásek writes for us are demanding. Each one presents new dimensions and a higher level. I always say “Honza, please, write it so that even you could sing it,” and his answer is always: “That’s impossible.” So every new composition of his is a huge challenge for us. But it pushes the boys forward tremendously — vocally, musically, and especially in their perception of music. Delving into that kind of music is incredibly revealing, enriching, and rewarding.”
The young choir members confirm that achieving the desired result was no mean feat.
“It’s really hard, but it’s manageable. There are lots of difficult parts, and the hardest thing was that we had to have tons of rehearsals to get it just right for the premiere in Japan.”
“Sometimes it was honestly a drag, sometimes it was great — but in the end, it’s all worth it.”
“What I enjoy most is that we all sing together — it’s teamwork.”
Composer Jan Jirásek says he’s very happy with the result and all the choir members have his deep and sincere admiration.
The choir will perform the piece in Osaka on October 10 and also at the Czech Centre in Tokyo on October 15.
The composition PANTA RHEI / ALL FLOWS was created by Jan Jirásek, holder of Czech Lion Awards and composer of film music (Bouquet, Bathory, An Ambiguous Report About the End of the World). The piece, written for boys’ choir, violin, piano, and percussion, is based on texts from Japanese and Christian liturgy, enriched with fragments from the works of Heraclitus, Jan Amos Comenius, and St. Bernard of Clairvaux. By combining Japanese, Czech, Latin, and Greek, a space is created for unexpected questions and connections. The musical segments are composed as responses to various life situations, resulting in a work that reflects the fluidity of the world and the depth of human experience.
