Dagmar Felixová

* 1930

  • “So I took the phone, and I called... someone had told me that they were opening a theatre in Slaný and that it would be directed by Mr so and so, so I found his phone number and called him up. He said: ‘What do you look like? How old are you?’ I told him: ‘I’m very pretty, I look my age, I’m eighteen.’ Well, and he employed me straight off, over the phone...”

  • “Of Aristotle... that’s a one I loved to do, it’s kind of, well, it takes twenty minutes. [Q: Do a little bit at least.] There once lived Alexander, a mighty king, who reigned over Greece and Egypt, who conquered distant India and joined it to his realm. Although yet young of age, he ruled with wisdom sage. Above all gems, gold, or jewels, he treasured knightly bravery. To whom showed courage, he gave his favour, gold with generosity. A hero among heroes, famous was he, victor over five scores of kings. And yet a mere child small did overcome this king of kings, and he who ruled half of the world, bowed down to Cupid happily. And with a soul hurt by love, he knelt before a beauteous dame. That young maiden fair charmed Alexander so, that brave soldier, mighty king, was powerless to his queen. He spends each waking moment with his sweet mistress. What of India, sceptres, or glory! He neglects his knights. Happily is he caught in her fair-haired embrace. Both are enchanted, blind to all but love. Whose heart has greater passion, the poet cannot say. And for all this ardent love-making, Alexander shuns his court and leaves his empire, his palace to be governed by others. And so, alas, in short time the king’s court grows weary and forlorn. No more grand tournaments, no merry tunes, and whoever asks the reason a courtier’s whisper hears: ‘Our court was once the most famous of its kind, but love has robbed our great king of his noble mind.’ This all rested heavily on Aristotle of Athens, who had taught the king from childhood days the secret ways of science. Like a father he felt for him, and so he went to reason with the king. ‘Allow, O king, that your teacher tell the naked truth. Unwisely you behave, O lord, by neglecting your big realm. Great guilt is to bear, whosoever omits his duties and leaves governance to his barons, lords. You’re caught in love’s sharp thorns, that woman will destroy you! Love is a terrible enemy, so says your teacher. You’ve lost your reason, your will is soft, beware love more than hell.’ That should do...”

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    Hradec Králové, 28.03.2015

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    délka: 01:45:31
    nahrávka pořízena v rámci projektu Stories of 20th Century
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You shouldn’t plan too far ahead

Dagmar Felixová
Dagmar Felixová
zdroj: Rodinný archiv

Dagmar Felixová was born on 8 March 1930 in Prague. Her father worked as the chief statistician at Aero, her mother was a housewife and later worked as an assistant editor. The witness and her brother were brought up with a love for art - her brother dedicated himself to music and later became rector of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague; Dagmar Felixová loved reciting and longed to work for a radio station. She graduated from an actors‘ conservatoire with guest performances in the National Theatre; she worked with the likes of Karel Höger, František Filipovský, or Jiří Voskovec. After her studies she joined the newly established theatre in Slaný in 1948. A year later director František Bahník accepted her to the theatre that he was just founding in Hradec Králové. She married František Bahník in 1950. They had three children. She was a member of the theatre in Hradec Králové for more than forty years, until her retirement. She looked after her ill husband, and when he died she wanted to finally take up reciting in the radio. However, by that time the genre had fallen out of popularity, and so she never fulfilled her dream.