Czech Philharmonic Plays Ravel, Adams; Mehta’s 50th Anniversary
Czech Philharmonic Announces 130th Season Featuring World Tours, Premieres
Table of Contents
- Czech Philharmonic Announces 130th Season Featuring World Tours, Premieres
- Czech Philharmonic’s 130th Season: A Comprehensive Guide
- What is the Czech Philharmonic?
- What are the key highlights of the Czech Philharmonic’s 130th season?
- Who are the key conductors and soloists for this season?
- Where and when will the Czech Philharmonic be touring?
- What types of music will be performed this season?
- What special events are planned for the season?
- Season Highlights at a Glance
The Czech Philharmonic is set to embark on its 130th season wiht a diverse program of international tours, world premieres, and collaborations with renowned soloists and conductors.
The season will commence on October 3rd and 4th with performances featuring violinist Joshua Bell and cellist Steven Isserlis.
A highlight of the season will be the appointment of American composer Bryce Dessner as the residential composer. Dessner’s cello concerto will premiere, performed by Anastasia Koekina, along with “St. Carolyn by the Sea” for two electric guitars. Additional concerts featuring Dessner’s work are also planned.
The Czech Philharmonic will tour extensively, performing in prestigious concert halls across East Asia and Europe. The orchestra will visit nine countries, including Taiwan, japan, and south Korea, presenting works by Tchaikovsky, Smetana, Shostakovich, and Ravel. Performances are also scheduled in Germany, Italy, Austria, Luxembourg, and Belgium, featuring pieces such as pulcinella and The Rite of Spring.
The orchestra will continue its recording partnership with Pentatone, which will release the complete cycle of Gustav mahler symphonies next season. Only one symphony remains to be recorded.
The Philharmonic, under the direction of chief conductor Semjon Byčkov, will perform Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s fourth Symphony, Gustav Mahler’s “Songs on Dead Children,” and instrumental concertos by Edward Elgar and Johannes Brahms.
Principal guest conductor Jakub Hrůša will lead performances of works by Jean Sibelius, Benjamin Britten, and Josef Suk. Sir Simon Rattle, another principal guest conductor, will present a program including compositions by Mahler, Claude Debussy, and Olivier Messiaen in December.
Othre conductors collaborating with the orchestra include Giovanni Antonini, Stéphan Denèv, Cristian Movcelaru, Petr popelka, and Thomas Adès. Adès will lead a program commemorating the 100th anniversary of Pierre Boulez’s birth, featuring the Czech premiere of Adès’s “Angel of Destruction.”
The season will also commemorate the velvet Revolution with concerts on November 16th and 17th,featuring Mahler’s second resurrection symphony performed by the Czech Philharmonic and the Prague Philharmonic Choir,conducted by Zubin Mehta. This marks Mehta’s return to the orchestra after more than 50 years.
Soloists featured throughout the 130th season include pianists Mao Fujita and Marie-Ange Nguci, violist Amihai Grosz, cellist Anastasia Kukina, and soprano Fleur Barron.
Returning to perform with the orchestra are mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená, violinists Nicola Benedetti, Augustin Hadelich, and Josef Špaček, cellist Sol Gabetta, and pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, who will perform Beethoven’s fifth piano concerto.
The orchestral series C will expand to five performances. The management plans to invite a different world orchestra each year.The london Symphony Orchestra, led by Antonio Pappano, will be the first guest orchestra. Pappano will also conduct a subscription concert with the Czech Philharmonic.
Harpsichordist Mahan esfahani, curator of the chamber series, will perform a complete cycle of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier. The Department of Educational Programs will offer 350 programs. The joint orchestra of pupils from elementary art schools and Czech Philharmonic players, led by Petr altrichter, will continue for its eleventh year.
The recital cycle will feature cellist Alisa Weilerstein presenting her multimedia work, “fragments.” The orchestra will also perform at the Smetana’s Litomyšl, Dvořákova Prague, and Prague Spring festivals.
The Czech Philharmonic was recently named Orchestra of the Year 2024 by Gramophone magazine. Semjon Byčkov praised a recent tour during which the orchestra performed works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gustav Mahler, and Dmitry Shostakovich.
The acceptance was amazing and I thoght: That’s it. So it has finally succeeded. We can convince the world that the Czech Philharmonic plays great music that was not written in this country.
Semjon Byčkov
Czech Philharmonic’s 130th Season: A Comprehensive Guide
What is the Czech Philharmonic?
The Czech Philharmonic is a world-renowned orchestra with a rich history. founded in 1896, the orchestra is celebrated for its remarkable performances and contributions to classical music. The Czech Philharmonic was recently named Orchestra of the Year 2024 by Gramophone magazine.
What are the key highlights of the Czech Philharmonic’s 130th season?
The 130th season promises a diverse array of performances, featuring international tours, world premieres, and collaborations with celebrated soloists and conductors. Here’s a glimpse:
Opening Performances: the season begins on October 3rd and 4th with violinists Joshua Bell and cellist Steven Isserlis.
World premieres: American composer Bryce dessner will be the residential composer. his cello concerto, performed by Anastasia Koekina, will debut, along with “St. Carolyn by the Sea” for two electric guitars.
International Tours: The orchestra will tour extensively, visiting nine countries in East Asia and Europe.
Recording Partnership: The Czech Philharmonic will continue its recording partnership with pentatone, including the release of the complete cycle of Mahler symphonies next season.
Who are the key conductors and soloists for this season?
The season boasts an extraordinary lineup of talent:
Conductors:
Chief Conductor: Semyon Bychkov
Principal Guest Conductors: Jakub Hrůša and Sir Simon Rattle.
Other Conductors: Giovanni Antonini, Stéphan Denève, Cristian Măcelaru, Petr Popelka, and Thomas Adès.
Soloists:
Pianists: Mao Fujita and Marie-Ange Nguci
Violist: Amihai Grosz
Cellist: Anastasia Koekina
Soprano: Fleur Barron
Returning Soloists: Mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená, violinists Nicola Benedetti, Augustin Hadelich, and Josef Špaček, cellist Sol Gabetta, and pianist Víkingur Ólafsson.
Where and when will the Czech Philharmonic be touring?
The Czech Philharmonic will embark on a series of international tours during its 130th season:
east Asia: Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea.
Europe: Germany, Italy, Austria, Luxembourg, and Belgium.
What types of music will be performed this season?
The repertoire this season is broad, featuring both classic and contemporary works:
Tchaikovsky, Smetana, Shostakovich, and Ravel: Performed during the East Asia tour.
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s Symphony No.4 conducted by Semyon Bychkov
gustav Mahler’s ”Songs on Dead Children” conducted by Semyon Bychkov
instrumental concertos by Edward Elgar and Johannes Brahms conducted by semyon Bychkov
Works by Jean Sibelius, Benjamin Britten, and Josef Suk conducted by Jakub Hrůša.
Compositions by Mahler, claude Debussy, and Olivier Messiaen conducted by sir Simon Rattle.
Pierre Boulez’s including the Czech premiere of Adès’s “Angel of Destruction”.
Works performed at festivals: Smetana’s Litomyšl, Dvořákova Prague, and Prague Spring festivals.
What special events are planned for the season?
Commemoration of the Velvet Revolution: Concerts on November 16th and 17th, featuring Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, conducted by Zubin Mehta, who returns after more than 50 years.
Guest Orchestra: The London Symphony Orchestra, led by Antonio Pappano, will be the first guest orchestra. Pappano will also conduct a subscription concert with the czech Philharmonic.
* Educational Programs: The Department of Educational Programs will offer 350 programs, and the joint orchestra of elementary art schools and Czech philharmonic players will continue for its eleventh year.
Season Highlights at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
| :———————– | :——————————————————————————————————— |
| Season Opening | October 3rd and 4th, with Joshua Bell and Steven Isserlis |
| World Premiere | Bryce Dessner’s Cello Concerto, performed by Anastasia Koekina |
| International tours | east Asia (Taiwan, Japan, South Korea) and Europe (Germany, Italy, Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium) |
| Guest Conductor | Zubin Mehta will conduct Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 to commemorate the Velvet Revolution |
| Guest Orchestra | The London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Antonio Pappano |