STYLE
Janáček Philharmonic
at the Prague Spring Festival
Even those who do not care much about classic music know the great reputation of “Pražské jaro”, the
Prague Spring International Music Festival. It is this general awareness of the discerning public both
in the Czech Republic and abroad that makes the Prague Spring International Music Festival a unique
phenomenon. It is indisputably the most famous and most prestigious Czech festival. Leading soloists,
conductors and orchestras from home and abroad feel that to perform at the festival is a great honour.
The Janáček Philharmonic has played at the festival
a few times and is privileged to play, conducted by
its chief conductor Mr Heiko Mathias Förster, at this
year’s, 73rd year of Prague Spring, featuring this time
around exclusive soloists: pianist Martin Kasík, soprano
Lucie Silkenová and Norbert Lichý as narrator.
The orchestra promotes Czech music in foreign countries. The Janáček Philharmonic is often invited on
international tours (recently in the USA, Korea, China,
Germany and Austria), featuring young artists as well as
famous soloists and conductors. Their repertoire ranges
from classic music to unexplored works by contemporary composers. The philharmony’s “home stage”
is the concert hall of Dům kultury města Ostravy
(Cultural Centre of Ostrava) where subscriber concert
cycles and other festive and popular events and concerts take place.
On June 2 in Smetana Hall of the Municipal House
in Prague, Chief Conductor Heiko Mathias Förster is
going to conduct compositions by Bohuslav Martinů
(Estampes H 369), Klement Slavický (Sinfonietta No.
4) and Josef Suk (Symphony in E Major). “Janáček
Philharmony has already played Josef Suk’s Symphony
in E Major with a great success not only in Ostrava but
also on international tours of Poland and Germany.
We are planning a studio record of that piece too.
I am very happy that we are going to play the composition which traditionally is a great pleasure for us
to perform at this very important
festival,” says Mr Förster.
Text & foto:
www.jfo.cz
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