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2000

Helena Gold in Poland

This year would be one of the busiest years in Helena's musical life after 1989. The first months of 2000 were devoted to promotion in Poland and recording of a new album in Belgium. At the beginning of 2000 Helena and her old friend, Polish pop star Maryla Rodowicz re-recorded together Maryla's old smash hit "Malgoska" for the forthcoming Polish version of the compilation "Helena Gold".

The Polish version of "Helena Gold" on CD and MC was available in Polish record shops in the spring 2000. The opening track was of course Helena's biggest hit in Poland "Malovany dzbanku" originally recorded in 1974.

The Queens of pop at the Opera, June 2000

After some months'  preparations a very special show featuring five Czech pop stars took place at the Opera in Prague. The five female stars were: Iveta Bartosova, Ilona Csakova, Marcela Brezinova, Bara Basikova and of course Helena Vondrackova. The show was recorded on June 23rd, 2000 and released on CD later the same year.

Helena Collection 7

A double CD released in the series "Helena Collection" contained 47 songs recorded by the singer at the beginning of 1970s and previously not released on LP. Many rare bonus were added and the CD received the title "Mlácku" after Helena's big hit from the same period of time.

Helena in Warsaw, June 2000

In the summer 2000 Helena was in Warsaw promoting her greatest hits compilation Helena Gold. Polish press published several interviews with Helena and she appeared on Polish TV.

Exclusive photos for Polish newspapers

Sopot festival

Two months later, in August 2000 Helena was back in Poland as a guest star on the International Song Festival in Sopot.

Carnegie Hall, New York 29-30 september

Probably the biggest event in Helena's career in 2000 was the big concert at Carnegie Hall in New York together with Karel Gott. Helena was guest star at Karel's concert and she performed several hits solo. It was the start of their cooperation which would continue in 2002.

Vodopad - Waterfall - the new album

Universal signed an exclusive record contract with Helena several months earlier and it was the record company now that decided about Helena's image, Helena's music and.. Helena's first Universal record in the autumn of 2000. It was a dance album prepared for young audience in the first hand. Nobody knew in autumn 2000 if the new CD would be hit or flop. After several weeks of playing the first single "Dlouha noc" (The long night) is was sure that both the song and the whole album were on the way to be the biggest pop hits of the year if not the whole decennium. Officially "Dlouha noc" became the biggest hit of 2001 in Czech Republic.

The photo sessions

The video "Vodopad"

Lucerna, December 14, 2000

Extremely successful after one more year on the top with new smash hits Helena announced her big concert at Lucerna in Prague on December 14, 2000. She invited special guests, two top Czech singers: Bara Basikova and Petr Muk. The night was long at Lucerna and the concert was recorded by Czech TV for broadcast at the beginning of 2001.

2001

Helena in "Hogo Fogo" in March

Hogo Fogo was a popular talk show hosted by pop star Hana Zagorova and the opera singer Stefan Margita (Zagorova's husband). They used to invite their famous guests to the show in many very special ways. The main idea behind every invitation was to surprise the future guest. It was not different in Helena's case. Stefan Margita was hidden behind the stage during one of Helena's concerts in December 2000. When she started singing one of her songs so even Margita started singing the same song but totally false still hidden behind the curtain. At the beginning Helena did not understand that it was a joke and first when Margita entered the stage and invited her to "Hogo Fogo" she started to laugh.

The show was aired by TV Nova on March 18th, 2001. Helena was talking about her life and popularity, performed one song together with Hana Zagorova and of course sung her latest hit "The Long Night".

Helena Collection 8 & 9

During 2001 two double CDs in "Helena Collection" series were released. Totally four original albums from 1970s had their premiere on CD that year. Lots of rare bonus tracks were added.

Helena continued her recording sessions for a new album in Belgium.

Helena 2002 - the album

At the beginning of October 2001 a new album called "Helena 2002" was released in Czech Republic. The first song playing on the radio was "Nekde jinde, nekdy jindy" (Somewhere else, someone else). The song became a big hit of the autumn 2001. The CD contained 11 new songs and one bonus. The bonus track was Helena's 1983 hit "Sladke mameni" (Sweet nothings) re-recorded in a new arrangement. Nobody thought that this song would be given another life as a hit. After its release on the album "Helena 2002" "Sladke mameni" became one of the biggest audience favorite on every Helena concert. The new album sounded very modern and Helena delivered once again a mature dance album directly accepted by both young and old fans.

Helena 2002 photo session

The tour

On October 19th, 2001 Helena started her tour in Zlin in Czech Republic. Totally she gave 11 big concerts.

The Woman of Success Prize

On November 30th, Helena received the prize "Lady Pro 2001" as one of the most successful women in Czech Republic.

Divorce

On December 13, 2001 it was officially announced that Helena and Helmut went separate ways. At 8.40 a.m. Helena was divorced from Helmut after 18 years.

Zofin, December 15 & 16, 2001

On December 15 and 16 there were held two big concerts with four big stars singing different kind of music. The four stars were the opera singers Eva Urbanova and Peter Dvorsky and two pop stars Karel Gott and Helena Vondrackova. The concerts were held at the well-known concert hall in Prague called Zofin. The foursome performed a mixture of classical and pop music. The artists sang several duets with each other in surprising combinations. Both shows were recorded by the record company "Supraphon" and released on CD in 2002.

Helena on TV in December 2001

Helena appeared on TV performing her latest hits. TV Nova prepared a traditional New Year's Eve Gala featuring Helena and other top artists. The gala was aired on New Year's Eve evening. Even other Czech TV channels as CT1 and TV Prima broadcasted videos from Helena's latest album

2002

Helena & Martin Michal

After the "paper" divorce from Helmut Helena officially appeared together with her new boy friend Martin Michal. The first part of the year she devoted more to the new love and the new private life.

Helena & Martin Maxa

One more Martin would become important in Helena's life in 2002 - the "new" musical face Martin Maxa. Maxa was completely unknown for the pop fans in Czech Republic before 2001 when he released his debut album. He became the raising star immediately after this release. Helena and Martin recorded a new song together in the middle of 2002. The song entitled "Deja vu" became a great hit in 2002.

The Broadway album - the 2002 re-edition

The 2002 re-edition of Helena's successful "Broadway Album" featured 5 bonus tracks (not available on the 1993 edition) and slightly changed picture cover. The 1992 recordings had been digitally remastered and the CD was available on Czech market in the middle of 2002.

New photo sessions

Sblizeni on CD

Helena's 1981 LP "Sblizeni" came out in 2002 for the first time on CD with bonus tracks. This release contained one of the biggest pop hits ever written "A ty se ptas co ja" (The Winner Takes It All) originally performed by ABBA and covered by Helena one year after ABBA's release.

The Stars on Moldau project

In August 2002 high floods in Czech Republic caused huge damages in whole country and Prague. Big parts of the Old City stood under water during many weeks. In October 2002 a lot of big Czech artists and among them Helena appeared on stage constructed on a big boat on Moldau in Prague. All money collected during the show would go to the reparations after the high waters. Helena performed a brand new song together with Karel Gott recorded for their forthcoming tour and her new hit "Sundej kravatu" from upcoming new album.

Helena Platinum

release: Nov 11, 2002

The new 2002 album was in fact a compilation CD but it contained 3 new songs: "Deja vu" (with Martin Maxa), the autumn hit rocky "Sundej kravatu" (Search your tie) and a rap piece "Bulhari" with s.J.A.R. The album was a kind of part two of "Helena Gold" released two years earlier.

Helena & J.A.R.

The platinum photo sessions

Long Night with Helena

In November 2002 the first TV show in the series "Dlouha noc s Helenou" (Long Night with Helena) was aired by TV Nova. Helena signed contract with TV Nova for several one-hour long shows which would feature Helena talking about her musical life, singing some of her greatest hits and presenting new faces on the Czech pop scene as well as famous pop stars from Czech Republic and other countries.

Helena on tour 2002 with Karel Gott

In the late autumn of 2002 it was time for new musical adventures. This time together with old friend and one of the most famous singers in Czech Republic Karel Gott. They toured Czech Republic and Slovakia together with a Christmas show featuring their greatest hits and most famous Czech Christmas songs.

The tour became a huge success and an extra concert in Prague on December 16, 2002 was attended by more than 10.000 people in the audience. They finished the show with a medley including more great hits. The audience got wild when Helena started singing her latest smash hits "Sladkie mameni" and "Dlouha noc".   

The Golden Nightingale 2002

The most prestigious music prize in the Czech Republic is The Golden Nightingale. Helena received Silver Nightingale this year. The winner was another famous singer Lucie Bila. 

New Year's Eve TV Special 2002

The New Year's Eve TV show featured the 2001 pop-opera success quartet: Helena, Karel Gott, Peter Dvorsky and Eva Urbanova singing a medley of evergreens.

2003

The concert for President Vaclav Havel

Helena participated in the big gala concert for President Vaclav Havel in January 30th. She performed absolutely fabulously Andrew Lloyd Webber's "As if we never said goodbye".

HELENA MARRIED AGAIN! FEBRUARY 22, 2003

Helena married her boyfriend Martin Michal on Saturday February 22, 2003 on the Karlstejn castle outside Prague. The party was held at the restaurant and at home in Ritka with 300 guests.

In Australia

A couple of weeks after the wedding Helena and Martin went to Australia. The trip was both business and pleasure - together with Karel Gott Helena performed for the Czech immigrants living in Australia. They played in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra.

Enjoying Australia

The show

Long Night with Helena - Robin Gibb

Two new one-hour TV shows "Dlouha noc s Helenou" (Long Night with Helena) were recorded and aired during the period of March-June. The show became more and more popular. One of the guest stars performing in Helena's programme was Robin Gibb of Bee Gees. Helena sang her greatest hits and re-promoted two older songs from 1980s.

The Bonnie & Clyde session, June 2003

This absolute wonderful photo session was taken by a young talented photographer Tomas Baran for the July-August edition of the magazine "Xantypa" which even published an extended interview with Helena.

We are not staying at home  - the new hit

A brand new song entitled "Nebudemy sedet doma" (We are not staying at home) from the forthcoming album became Helena's summer hit in 2003. It was released on a promotional single just before summer.

EU gala

In June 2003 people in Czech Republic voted for accessing the European Union. The same evening a big concert was arranged outside the castle in Prague. All biggest Czech artists participated. Helena presented her new hit from the forthcoming album "We are not staying at home". Together with Martin Maxa she performed "Deja vu".

Summer 2003

Les Miserables

Helena was playing Fantine again. Les Miserables came back to Prague after 10 years.

Kamenak 2 - Helena acting

Helena and Martin Maxa were acting in the film "Kamenak 2".

Helena paid a visit at the hospital for disabled children outside Prague in September.

The Queens of pop at the Opera show, September 8, 2003

Helena participated among other big pop stars at the show at the Prague Opera on September 8, 2003.

The Stars on Moldau 2

The biggest Czech stars participated in the big gala "The stars on Moldau 2". The first show was held one year ago after the horrible flooding in Czech Republic in the summer 2002. This year it was decided to arrange one more concert. The artists got 1 Czech crown for their performance. Two big stars participating in the show were of course Helena and Martin Maxa.

Platynowa Helena in Poland, October 2003

In October 16, 2003 it was time to release of the "platina" compilation in Poland. As a special bonus the singer re-recorded 4 of her hits in Polish. Three new songs were added as well - two of them from the forthcoming new studio album "Hadej". 

hádej...!

The new studio album was released at the beginning of November 2003 in Czech Republic and Slovakia. It sounds extremely modern and contains 15 songs. A new photo session was taken. The album was recorded in the Omega Tongeren Studios in Belgium. The album contains already well-known big hits "Cha cha cha" and the newest single the title song "Hádej...!"

The photo sessions

Lucerna 19.11.2003