Prague Spring: A festival in honour of art (12 May – 3 June 2018)
This deluxe music festival will celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the establishment of Czechoslovakia with music by Czech and Slovak authors. Music by authors who have captured the hearts of many listeners, are of international renown and have received many awards will be heard. These include the works of Bohuslav Martinů, Josef Suk, Klement Slavický or Michal Nejtek, as well as Lukáš Sommer or Ondřej Adámek.
We must also commemorate one hundred years since the birth of American composer, conductor and piano player Leonard Bernstein.
The deluxe opening and close of the festival deserve deluxe music
The opening concert cannot begin with anything other than the magnificent piece of Czech music called “Má Vlast” by Bedřich Smetana. This will be played by the Czech Philharmonic under the baton of Tomáš Netopil. The final concert will belong to the Slovak Philharmonic with new conductor James Judd and you will be able to hear music by Fibich, Suchoň and Janáček performed by this orchestra.
Stars of the world of music
Prague Spring 2018 boasts a strong group of symphonic Orchestras and ensembles from other countries. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam will perform on 15 May under the baton of conductor Daniel Gatti. This orchestra has enjoyed the unusual favour of distinguished figures of the world of music, headed by Gustav Mahler and Igor Stravinsky.
Violin and viola player and conductor Julian Rachlin will become the resident artist of Prague Spring in 2018. He will present the entire breadth of his talents within the terms of four festival concerts and he will perform as the soloist of Mendelssohn’s violin concert on 14 May. Leonard Bernstein will also be honoured and a selection of his famous Broadway musicals will be performed by American conductor Keith Lockhart, the Czech Philharmonic and leading musical singers from London.
Bernstein’s monumental Third Symphony will be performed under the baton of another American, Leonard Slatkin. This concert will also be devoted to the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the state of Israel.
Other stars will include piano player Daniil Trifonov with Prokofiev Piano Concert No. 3 C Major. The Concert for Harp and Orchestra by Lukáš Sommer will be performed as a premier by Jana Boušková accompanied by the PKF - Prague Philharmonic. And Klangforum Wien, which is considered one of the best ensembles in the world in performance of contemporary music, will also perform.
The deluxe visual that is inherent to the festival will be mentioned briefly again this year
The visual appearance is the work of the Dynamo design studio this year. Its concept follows on to the very successful graphic appearance of the festival last year and continues in the concept of “Musica Magica”. A deluxe world investigating fascinating creatures. That is what it’s all about.
