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Published on: 13.05.2024

The opening concert

Übersicht

Before Smetana’s “Má Vlast” is played for the first time at the “Prague Spring” Festival of 2024, the Berliner Philharmoniker and chief conductor Kirill Petrenko open the festival with a fanfare and the Czech national anthem.

The founding of the Czechoslovak Republic was proclaimed in 1918 in the beautiful Art Nouveau building “Obecní dům”, Prague's Municipal House. Today it is the home of the Prague Symphony Orchestra and the Prague Spring Festival. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

In the Smetana Hall - one of a total of 1240 rooms in the “Obecní dům” - the Berliner Philharmoniker will play the Festival's opening concert. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

This is chief conductor Kirill Petrenko’s first concert with the Berliner Philharmoniker at the “Prague Spring”. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

On both sides of the stage, sculptures pay homage to the two great Czech composers Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák. They depict scenes from “Vyšehrad”, the first part of Smetana’s “Má Vlast”, and from Dvořák's “Slavonic Dances”. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

The brass section of the Berliner Philharmoniker opens the concert with Smetana’s Libussa Fanfare. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

Picture: Stephan Rabold

Rachel Schmidt and violin colleague Raimar Orlovsky | Picture: Stephan Rabold

Picture: Stephan Rabold

It was only in the last years of his life, the most fruitful of his career despite his deafness, that Smetana achieved national recognition. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

Picture: Stephan Rabold

Czech President Petr Pavel attends the opening concert with his wife Eva Pavlová. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

A view of the sold-out hall. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

Compliments to our audience members for their exceptional dress sense! Very stylish. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

After the concert: The Czech President in conversation with General Manager Andrea Zietzschmann and member of the orchestra board Eva-Maria Tomasi. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

A musical strollPrevious article

Contra bassoonist Václav Vonášek took some of his colleagues on a hike through three movements of Bedřich Smetana’s ”My Fatherland“.

On the way to Prague ...Next article

Early on Sunday morning, the Berliner Philharmoniker set off for Prague by train. The opening concert of the “Prague Spring” is scheduled there in the evening. A few travelling impressions.