Khamoro Returns to Prague. And It Shines for Everyone!

A PARTY FOR EVERYONE

The week-long festival kicks off on May 25 with an open-air concert of contemporary Romani music – the Khamoro Party."This year we’ve invited three favourites of the Romani audience – Tessie, Ritmo Gitano and Thomas,” says the festival’s main dramaturge and producer, Džemil Silajdžić. “These three will show the crowd that Romani music is modern, confident and full of emotion.”

Tereza “Tessie” Ondičová captivates with her velvety voice. She rose to fame through The Voice and with her hit “Nechaj hudbu hrať,” which has nearly 8 million views. Ritmo Gitano will bring the passion and rhythms of salsa, flamenco, and čardáš – a band that’s been lighting up Czech festival stages and winning award after award. Thomas is a talented singer of the new generation, known from the group Roma Boyz and collaborations with stars like Igor Kmeťo or Refew. His songs about love and life are loved by teenagers and their parents alike. Khamoro Party really is for everyone.

A MUSICAL JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD

Traditional Romani music concerts are among the most popular events of the festival. Audiences symbolically travel with the performers through the many countries where Roma live and create. And this year will be no different. “Look forward to the vibrant čapáš of Hungarian Vlax Roma, unrestrained Balkan brass bands, and the songs of Russian Roma made famous by the film Gypsies Are Found Near Heaven. There will be authentic flamenco, real Romani cimbalom music, and for the first time, Romani artists from Greece,” says Džemil Silajdžić. The Czech Republic will be represented by an ensemble led by renowned violin virtuoso Ivan Herák, joined by cimbalom, violin, double bass, accordion, and the exceptional singer Erika Nováková.

But Khamoro is not only about traditional music. Every year, we also offer concerts of gypsy jazz – a style that fuses classical jazz with Romani melodies and rhythms.

“I highly recommend the concert of Milan Angelo Novák at Jazz Dock. He’s only 18, but already impressing audiences across the globe,” says Jelena Silajdžić, the festival’s producer and director of Slovo 21.

CHAPLIN AND COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS

Did you know that one of the most iconic figures in film history had Romani roots? We're talking about the man with the bowler hat, mustache, and unforgettable walk – Charlie Chaplin. Everyone knows him, but few know he came from a Romani family. At Khamoro, the Czech premiere of Chaplin: Spirit of the Tramp will be screened. Directed by Chaplin’s granddaughter Carmen Chaplin, the documentary draws from exclusive access to the family archive, personal interviews, and collaborations with contemporary Romani artists. The result is a powerful film about identity, legacy, and humanity.

This year’s festival also dares to tackle difficult and sensitive topics. One of them is the Romani Holocaust – trauma passed down through generations. Audiences will witness Stories of Survivors, a theatre piece inspired by real-life testimonies of the descendants of those who survived the horrors of Nazism. The performance was created using the method of Theatre of the Oppressed, which breaks down barriers between stage and audience and invites viewers directly into the action.

At the end of the festival week, Khamoro will address another taboo – domestic violence. At the mini-conference Speak Out Loud, the organisation Slovo 21 will present the first-ever research in the Czech Republic focused on the occurrence of domestic violence in the Romani community.“No such research has been conducted in our country before. We’ll present the entire project and its findings,” explains Claudie Laburdová from Slovo 21.

Opening such topics isn’t easy. But that’s where Khamoro’s strength lies – in uniting people, opening eyes, and helping make change happen.