Czech Philharmonic

About the Event

It is no coincidence that, on tour, the Czech Philharmonic will be performing a work by Antonín Dvořák. 2014 marks the 110th anniversary of this Czech master, and it was under the composer’s baton that the Czech Philharmonic gave its first public performance, under its current name, in 1896.

One of the pillars of Czech musical culture, the orchestra’s history boasts fruitful collaborations with some of the world’s most celebrated conductors, among others Talich, Kubelík, Ančerl, and Neumann, as well as a number of composers and outstanding musicians.

Last year, after more than two decades, Jiří Bělohlávek again assumed the position of principal conductor of the Czech Philharmonic. The maestro has pursued an illustrious career as a guest conductor of some of the world’s finest orchestras, such as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, Gewandhaus Orchestra etc.. He has been artistic director of the Prague Opera since 1994, was appointed to the post of the guest conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1995, in 2006 becoming its principal conductor. Since 2012, he has been principal guest conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.

Nikolai Lugansky, also called “the Russian prince of the piano”, is a pianist of extraordinary depth and versatility. Legendary pianist Tatiana Nikolayeva, who was his teacher of nine years, called him “the harbinger of the future of Russian pianism”. Lugansky, who has won several international competitions (e.g. International Bach Competition in Leipzig, the Rachmaninov Competition in Moscow, and the 10th International Tchaikovsky Competition), performs in some of the world’s major music centres with a repertoire encompassing over forty piano concertos and a varied selection of solo and chamber works.

Two ambassadors of the Russian and Czech traditions in a programme of Rachmaninov and Dvořák. The pianism of Lugansky can be best experienced through an interpretation of Rachmaninov, and the Czech tradition can be rendered at its most authentic by the Czech Philharmonic.

Conductor: Jiří Bělohlávek

Soloist: Nikolai Lugansky, piano