Smetana’s Má vlast has been part of the Prague Spring for years. And as we will learn at the Academy, the history of its introduction really goes back to the beginnings of the festival in 1946. At first, however, it was not an opening concert – in the fifties its position was still being sought, the situation was different in the sixties and seventies.
Its performances have long been the domain of Czech orchestras and mostly the Czech Philharmonic. This only started to change in the nineties, when guest conductors and also foreign orchestras began to arrive.
The Academy will map the entire history of festival presentations with examples of some performances. There will be classic performances by Talichov, Ančerlov and Neumann. Of course, Rafael Kubelík is groundbreaking, but perhaps also Sir Colin Davis with the London Symphony Orchestra.
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We will remind you of Bělohlávek’s performance with the Prague Conservatory Orchestra and the Czech Philharmonic and the recent premier performance with the Vienna Philharmonic and Daniel Barenboim. There will be a young generation of Czech conductors and a musical invitation to this year’s opening with the Berlin Philharmonic.
Má vlast is performed at the Prague Spring not only because of the anniversary of Smetan’s death on May 12 – it is a masterpiece that generations return to repeatedly and want to hear.
