The Prague Spring Festival began with the My Country series performed by the Berlin Philharmonic
Prague – The 79th Prague Spring Festival began today at the Municipal House with Smetana’s symphonic poems My Country performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker under the baton of chief conductor Kirill Petrenko. At the beginning of the evening, the Prague Spring Fanfare was played, during which President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva entered their box to the applause of the audience. The national anthem followed.
Today the audience rewarded the Berlin Philharmonic with a prolonged standing ovation. The same concert will take place at the Municipal House on Monday.
The Berliner Philharmoniker has a rich history with the Prague Spring Festival, having performed in the Czech Republic at the invitation of the festival a total of seven times, with the exception of two concerts. The first time was in 1966 with the legendary Herbert von Karajan, the last time in 2014 with Sir Simon Rattle. In May 2020, the orchestra was to open the Prague Spring Festival with works by Gustav Mahler, but the pandemic of covid-19 made this performance impossible. Founded in 1882, the orchestra has a wide repertoire with a focus on the music of the German classical and romantic greats. It is one of the most renowned interpreters of works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner and Gustav Mahler.
“In the Year of Czech Music, which marks the bicentenary of Bedřich Smetana’s birth, the Berliner Philharmoniker will perform his My Country. And we think this is the best contribution we can make to this Smetana’s birthday. Because Czech music becomes truly world music when it is interpreted by foreign artists,” Pavel Trojan, director of the Prague Spring Festival, told ČTK.
Before the concert, the Municipal House hosted the opening of a new accompanying project of the Art Salon Prague Spring festival, for which Czech visual artists Petr Nikl, Ivan Pinkava, Milan Grygar, Daniel Vlček, Jakub Roztočil and Ira Svobodová worked on the theme My Homeland. The works will be on display for the public from 13 May at the Rudolfinum and the Municipal House. On Sunday, 26 May, the collection will be auctioned at the 91st Kodl Gallery auction at Žofín. The proceeds will benefit the Prague Spring Festival.
Read the full article at ČTK (only in czech language)
