MTO Universal is heading to Lucerna Music Bar – on September 15, we’re in for an evening that won’t be just a concert, but rather a playful, slightly absurd musical journey through Czech and global pop culture. If you love Divadlo Sklep, exaggeration, and an atmosphere that defies easy categorization, you’ve come to the right place.

MTO (Malý taneční orchestr) Universal Praha is made up of members of Divadlo Sklep, who perform as singers and musicians. During the era of “communist rule,” the troupe went underground, compensating for its official lack of recognition by imitating its more successful peers: both orchestras and bands (e.g., Katapult) as well as individual TV superstars (Pavel Liška, Hanička Zagorová, Drupi, Dušan Grůň, Karel Hála, etc., etc.). Today, however, the repertoire is supplemented by Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, Frank Sinatra, and other international stars.

Behind the instruments and microphones are Prague artists: František Skála, Zdeněk Lhotský, Aleš Najbrt, members of Divadlo Sklep: Tomáš Hanák, Lenka Vychodilová, Jana Hanáková, Fero Burda, and musicians: Roman Fojtíček, Jiří Kulich Novotný, and Luděk Polifka.