Around the Music Festival

The Prague Symphony Orchestra has appointed Czech conductor Tomas Netopil as its next principal conductor, succeeding Tomas Brauner, who has held the post since the 2020/2021 season. He will begin his term in the 2025/2026 season.

Netopil, 48, was born in Přerov in the eastern Czech Republic. After studying violin and conducting in the Czech Republic, he studied conducting under Jorma Panula at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Stockholm, and came to prominence in 2002 when he won the first “Georg Solti International Competition for Conductors”.

In 2004, he made his debut at the “Prague Spring” Festival and the Salzburg Festival. He was appointed music director of the National Theater in Prague in 2009. He is also Principal Guest Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.

He has been active in both opera and concert music, since the 2012/2013 season he was the General Music Director of the Aalto Theater in Essen, Germany(ｰ2023).

Photo：Dvořák Prague festival　/　Petra Hajska