They are delighted to present you with the 74th edition of the Prague Spring Music Festival. In May 2019 Prague will welcome some of the greatest names on the classical stage – both true legends and young talents. Each of them will provide a unique perspective on the intriguing diversity of this art form. 

The mission of the Prague Spring is to bring you concerts which aspire to become events of the season. They are confident that the forthcoming edition will fully reflect this endeavour. 

There is always a huge sense of anticipation surrounding the opening of the festival itself – Smetana’s My Country will be performed by the Bamberg Symphony under its Chief Conductor Jakub Hrůša. Few orchestras are as capable of effortlessly combining inner passion with flawless unity of sound, perfectly rendered down to the smallest detail, as Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia under conductor Sir Antonio Pappano (17 May). New York’s Orpheus Chamber Orchestra demonstrates the way in which the intimacy characteristic of chamber ensembles merges with the rich sound of a large orchestra. Returning with them to the Prague Spring is the excellent pianist Jan Lisiecki (21 May). The audience will hear a rousing example of Spanish temperament in orchestral music thanks to Orquestra de Cadaqués, who have put together a programme one doesn’t get the chance to hear all that often (30 May). The charm of French music and performance artistry comes to us courtesy of the famous Les Arts Florissants (27 May), Ensemble Intercontemporain (27 May), and two concerts given by the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse with Music Director Tugan Sokhiev, flautist Emmanuel Pahud and violinist Renaud Capuçon. The Czech Philharmonic will be performing a French programme with stellar French conductor Louis Langrée (31 May).

Czech orchestras will be presenting programmes which deviate from the fare offered during their regular concert seasons.They are looking forward to the concert celebrating the visionary Hector Berlioz; his monumental Te Deum returns to the Prague Spring after a period of forty years. Leading the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra is respected specialist in Berlioz’s music, conductor John Nelson (15 May). Alexander Vedernikov headed the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow in the years 2001–2009 and, under his baton, the Prague Symphony will perform Prokofiev’s majestic and fascinating cantata Alexander Nevsky (28 May). Classical music entered the 21st century with Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra, as predicted by the French daily Le Monde. Her concert with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra on 2 June will be enhanced by a performance from the recent winner of the renowned ARD Music Competition, trumpeter Manuel Blanco.

The Prague Spring programme features a host of other Czech artists: On 20 May Kateřina Englichová with Ensemble 18+ will give the world premiere of Ondřej Kukal’s harp concerto, and the Bennewitz Quartet will launch the Chamber Music Weekend on 25 May with a concert that includes a piece for the theremin, performed by leading specialist in this instrument Carolina Eyck. Shortly after his stunning victory at the International Fritz Kreisler Competition in Vienna, Czech violinist Milan Al-Ashhab was approached by the festival with an offer to give a recital in the Rudolfinum (29 May).

The Prague Spring is always on the lookout for talented young musicians who are invited to perform in a series of morning concerts – this year they’ll be hearing pianists Matyáš Novák and Pavel Zemen and violinist Ludmila Pavlová. The Prague Spring International Music Competition, which has been an integral part of the festival since 1947, this year welcomes talents from all over the world for its flute and oboe categories. Don’t miss the exciting final rounds, which will take place in the Rudolfinum.

The Prague Spring festival 2019 is offering a truly varied programme. They trust that it will appeal to you!

Pictures:
Promotional pictures of artists of the upcoming season you may find here, please quote © which is located in the picture description: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmvQ6xt6 
Please find selected pictures from the previous seasons on the link below. You may use them free of charge as long as the credit “Prague Spring Festival - …name of the photographer…” is quoted and pictures are used in conjunction with promoting the Prague Spring Festival.
https://flic.kr/s/aHskv5wckC
A new visual style of the festival, please see here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskJjbuFp

Contact Information:
Pavel Trojan Jr.
Press spokesman
phone: 257 311 923
email: trojan@festival.cz