Lavutara. Travels of Romani Musicians and their Songs

8. 5. 2019 – 3. 5. 2020

From aristocratic courts, rural music events, city cafes to prestigious world stages, the Roma are known to the world as musicians, or lavutara. Romani music can be academic as well as untrained, official as well as spontaneous, sung as well as instrumental, domestic as well as virtuoso. Despite its fascinating diversity of forms, genres and varieties, it is typical for Romani music to be an irreplaceable part of ordinary as well as festive life of the Roma. Through music, the Roma learn about the world and the world learns about the Roma.

The exhibition project Lavutara was created in cooperation with dozens of musicians, organizers of musical events, producers and musical instruments menders as well as other contemporaries. It presents the music of the Roma as a living culture from the perspective of its performers.  This has been done on the basis of research following the life of several important musical families in Brno from the post-war years to the present.  In these families music is passed from generation to generation.

The exhibition is accompanied by a rich accompanying program consisting of the concert series The Music Summer at the Museum of Romani Culture, guided tours and workshops.