Around the Music Festival

The “Prague Spring,” a world-renowned music festival, has announced its program lineup for 2027. The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Jaap van Zweden, has been selected to perform Smetana’s symphonic poem cycle 《Má vlast》—a work traditionally featured at the festival’s opening concert. This marks the first time in the festival’s history that an orchestra from outside Europe has been chosen to perform.

According to the announcement, the 2027 edition will follow tradition by opening on May 12—the anniversary of Smetana’s death—and will run until June 2. Approximately 100 artists and ensembles from 23 countries—including Anne-Sophie Mutter, Igor Levit, Joshua Bell, and John Adams—are set to perform. The program features over 70 events, including 37 concerts, a new jazz series, and competitions for harpsichord and clarinet.

A notable feature of the 2027 edition is the introduction of a “resident orchestra”: the Bamberg Symphony—a German ensemble led since 2016 by Jakub Hrůša, who is set to become the chief conductor and music director of the Czech Philharmonic starting with the 2028/2029 season—has been selected for this role. From May 17 to 25, the orchestra will perform the complete cycle of Beethoven’s nine symphonies, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of the composer’s death.

PHOTO：Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra


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