Commercial presentation Updated: 12/05/2024 22:55 Issued: 12/05/2024, 12:39
Commemorative act at the opening of the Prague Spring International Music Festival on the anniversary of the death of Bedřich Smetana, May 12, 2024, Prague. CTK/Ríhová Michaela
Prague – Smetana’s symphonic poems My Homeland, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of chief conductor Kirill Petrenko, started the 79th Prague Spring today in the Municipal House. At the beginning of the evening, the Prague Spring Fanfare was played, during which President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva came to his box to the applause of those present. The national anthem followed.
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The audience of the Berlin Philharmonic rewarded them with a long standing ovation today. The same concert will take place in the Municipal House on Monday.
The Berlin Philharmonic has a rich shared history with the Prague Spring, as with the exception of two concerts, it has hosted a total of seven times in Germany at the invitation of this festival. The first time in 1966 with the legendary Herbert von Karajan, the last time in 2014 with Sir Simon Rattle. In May 2020, the orchestra was supposed to open Prague Spring with works by Gustav Mahler, but the covid-19 pandemic prevented this performance. The orchestra, founded in 1882, has a wide repertoire with a focus on the music of the German greats of classicism and romanticism. He is among the most recognized interpreters of works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner and Gustav Mahler.
“In the Year of Czech Music, when we commemorate the bicentenary of the birth of Bedřich Smetana, the Berlin Philharmonic will perform his My Homeland. And we think that this is the best contribution we can make to Smetana’s birthday. Because Czech music becomes truly world-class if it is also interpreted by foreign artists,” Prague Spring director Pavel Trojan 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 Roztočić and Ira Svobodová worked on the theme of My Homeland. The works will be exhibited to the public in the Rudolfinum and the Municipal House from May 13. On Sunday, May 26, the collection will be auctioned at the 91st auction of Galerie Kodl in Žofín. Proceeds will benefit the Prague Spring Festival.
“I believe that we are establishing a tradition, we believe in the unification of art across disciplines,” said director Trojan.
Tickets for tonight’s concert were sold out in a few days. Representatives of political life were also seated in the hall, for example Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský (Pirates), Minister of Agriculture Marek Výborný (KDU-ČSL), Speaker of the House of Representatives Markéta Pekarová Adamová (TOP 09), Minister of Culture Martin Baxa (ODS), Minister of Transport Martin Kupka ( ODS) or former president Václav Klaus.
People could also watch the opening concert live on a large screen in the park in Prague’s Kampa. This morning, a traditional memorial service took place at Smetana’s grave in Slavín. In front of the Rudolfinum, the festival organizers opened an interactive installation called Co Cech, to muzikant.
Má vlast is presented at the Prague Spring almost every year. The tradition is refreshed by the fact that a different conductor always takes charge of the piece. Má vlast, like Smetana’s opera Libuše, is mainly reserved for festive occasions. It is a cycle of six symphonic poems inspired by the history, legends and landscape of Bohemia. The work was created between 1874 and 1879, the premiere took place on November 5, 1882 in Prague at Žofín.
Last year’s Prague Spring was opened by Má vlast performed by the Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera. The body from Cardiff was led by the Czech conductor Tomáš Hanus at the opening concert.
Prague Spring will offer five dozen concerts and accompanying events until June 3. The program is on pages festival.
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