The Last Summer Night @ Staré čistírně The Old Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bubeneč | 22.9.2026
The Old Wastewater Treatment Plant in Bubeneč—designed by brilliant British engineer William Heerlein Lindley and completed right around 1906—is currently celebrating its grand 120th anniversary. Last night, this atmospheric, cavernous historical building witnessed a musical triumph that I don’t think anyone in attendance truly anticipated.
Yes, we all know that Petra Ernyei can sing beautifully. She is a magnificent performer who knows exactly how to captivate an audience. Backed by an absolute dream-team lineup—Adam Tvrdý (guitar), Petr Dvorský (bass), Miloš Dvořáček (drums), and Marcel Bárta (saxophone)—there was never any doubt that we were in for an evening of high-class music. But nobody warned the triple-digit crowd that they were going to completely bring the house down in the process!
From the very first notes of Petra’s opening tune—her traditional encore choice, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”—it felt as though the entire room shifted into a completely different sphere. She captured us so totally with her rich, sonorous voice that when the last note faded, there was a suspended fraction of time before anyone could even process what happened. We were all utterly enchanted. After that breathless, quiet moment, a roaring ovation erupted—and this was only the beginning. With her new project focusing on the historic stories and fates of multinational women across centuries, we were carried away on a profound musical journey that will be remembered for a very long time.
But how could he have known?
The staggering musical offering wasn’t just carried by Petra’s vocals—far from it. Marcel Bárta was given an abundance of creative space on his saxophone, and he delivered a masterclass in how it’s truly done. Miloš Dvořáček did exactly what he does best; there is a reason he is considered to be at the absolute pinnacle of percussion mastery, and last night proved why. Petr Dvorský’s brilliant bass lines didn’t just complement Miloš’s rhythm—he provided moments of pure acoustic magic, especially during his intimate duo segments with Petra. And on the left side of the stage keeping the entire sonic canvas under control was Adam Tvrdý. Playing a Gibson Les Paul with his pedalboard dialed all the way down to master the natural echo of the 16-meter-high ceilings, Adam showed us exactly what incredible, clean tonal textures can be drawn out of an electric guitar.Individual masters make the team, and what a team it was last night. The joy, the laughter, the sheer technical skill, and the love pouring off the stage was palpable. Last summer night? I honestly felt like summer had just begun. 
I deeply hope we will hear much more from this specific lineup in the near future. There was something genuinely sacred about last night’s performance—and make no mistake, this was truly a monumental concert, not just a gig! 
The venue itself was more than perfect for the evening’s energy. I learned last night that hosting concerts like this isn’t standard practice for Staré čistírně; this year has just been a special exception to honor the 120th anniversary. But honestly? Maybe someone up in the venue’s command bunker should rethink that policy and open these doors to live music permanently!
The only mystery that still bothers me a little is a historical one: how on earth could William Heerlein Lindley know that Petra and her band were supposed to perform there 120 years after he designed it? Because looking at the way the music filled that space, I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that he drew up those blueprints specifically for her. But how could he have known?
Thank you, Petra Ernyei and band. What an unforgettable night… 🙏🙏🙏😀
To see all the evening’s pictures click HERE!
