The exclusive Dvořák Collection brings together all concerts from the Chamber Series. Each concert will feature at least one of Dvořák’s works in which he intricately encoded his deepest emotions and utmost joys, despite the intimate cast. Chamber music accompanied him from his promising beginnings to the zenith of his American fame, adorned with resonances of Czech folklore and rhythmic figures inspired by the Iroquois. Above all, the collection encapsulates the persona of a genius composer for whom even the most exotic impulse is not a fleeting embellishment but rather an integral part of a beautifully conceived whole. This holds true for the Cypress song cycle transcribed for string quartet, quintets, and sextets, as well as for the concluding festive serenade for a string orchestra made up of all the participating ensembles. 

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The Dvořák Prague Festival Chamber Series has been transformed over time from a marginal affair for a handful of listeners into a real phenomenon. It is now facing the last year of a monumental project that has presented Antonín Dvořák’s complete string quartets played by the best Czech and foreign ensembles. This has all been taking place under the curatorship of the Pavel Haas Quartet, and for the project’s concluding gala concert, its members have assembled an orchestra consisting of all the Czech ensembles participating in the three-year project, along with the current season’s two guest ensembles from abroad. Six string quartets and two guest contrabass players will combine to form a unique ensemble to close the Chamber Series. 

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Years that end with the number four are of fateful importance to Czech music, encompassing the dates of the births and deaths of Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček, and many other composers. In addition, once every ten years the Year of Czech Music is an opportunity to reflect on Czech music in broader contexts. If you use your imagination, the numeral four looks a bit like a comfortable chair in which you can calmly doze off, but with just a minor graphic adjustment – shifting and slanting the vertical leg – the numeral turns into a lightning bolt symbolising energy and bright light. The Dvořák Prague Festival will offer a bold examination of Czech music and its international aspects. Among others, Bedřich Smetana’s symphonic works will be performed for the first time in the festival’s history.

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At Dvořák Prague, the Czech Philharmonic has represented the deep tradition of Czech performance and interpretation since the very beginning. Yet at the festival, it also presents itself in a form that is somewhat different from what attendees of subscription concerts have come to expect. Conducted by Jakub Hrůša, the collaboration between the premier Czech orchestra and the Bamberg Symphony will serve as a reminder of centuries of Czech and German cultural ties. However, it will also explore the persona of Gustav Mahler, whose origins are closely tied to the territory of the Czech Crown, and the Czech cultural community is pleased to embrace this connection.

It is both beautiful and logical that the festival’s regular resident ensemble is the orchestra that played its first concert under the baton of Antonín Dvořák. The Czech Philharmonic holds a fundamental place in the history of Czech music and Dvořák’s Prague. 

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This year’s recital series brings starkly contrasting personalities onto the festival stage. Concluding a phenomenal career, international piano legend Martha Argerich assumes the role of patron for her younger colleague Sophie Pacini, with whom she has prepared a two-piano evening. Aged 24, Mao Fujita is the laureate of the prestigious Clara Haskil Competition, achieving this distinction at the age of 17. Following several additional years of performing in and winning competitions, he has reached the point where he no longer needs additional competition success. Performances with renowned orchestras such as the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Gewandhaus Orchester, and others have elevated his star to great heights in the realm of classical performance. Notably, he was also the featured soloist during the Czech Philharmonic’s Asian and European tour in the autumn of 2023, performing Dvořák’s Piano Concerto many times in world capitals under the baton of Semyon Bychkov. Embarking on the initial stages of his career, violinist Andrea Cicalese, accompanied by another phenomenal pianist, Eric Lu, will present his magnificent Guarneri del Gesú violin. 

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This music is intended for the theatre, yet its power is so immense that it can easily do just as well without the theatre. It is just one of the many paradoxes that surround opera. At the same time, it directly encourages the staging of the finest operas in a concert format on occasion, enabling us to focus exclusively on the music – the power of the symphonic sound, the depth of the arias and the emotions emanating from the sung dialogues. Composed by Brno-born Erich W. Korngold at the age of twenty-three, the opera ‘Dead City’ weaves together elements of nostalgia, psychology, and hope for a new life. This melodic and highly communicative music resonates with audiences worldwide. Thus, through the enchanting voices and seductive songs, we become entranced by the dancer Marietta and the emotionally conflicted Paul. And by the way, Marietta’s song stands as one of opera’s most renowned arias. 

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Young music is brimming with energy, poised at the threshold of endless possibilities, while simultaneously providing a glimpse of future experiences and triumphs. Also, it takes many forms. It can be a Family Day with a very good and easily accessible concert, serving as the initial spark for aspiring musicians to embark on dedicated practice. Alternatively, it might be a performance by a progressive ensemble looking for unconventional and overlooked repertoires. The final round of the Concertino Praga competition will bring a blend of artistic excellence and sporting excitement. Finally, there will be a concert by the Czech Student Philharmonic Orchestra, which is recognised both as a breeding ground for future virtuosos in solo, chamber, and orchestral performances, and as a valuable collaborator with esteemed conductors.

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For the devoted fans of Antonína Dvořák who gather for events of the Club of Friends of the Dvořák Prague Festival.

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Family Day at the Dvořák Prague Festival is a day for sharing the joy of music and for fun and games for children and their parents.

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