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SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAS | |
| Prager Symphoniker (FOK) | ||
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Today's Prague Symphony Orchestra was founded in the autumn of 1934 by the conductor and musical organizer Rudolf Pekárek. He defined the new ensemble's fields of activity with the words Film-Opera-Koncert, which as the abbreviation FOK became part of the orchestra's title. By recording music for the majority of Czech films in the 1930s and performing regularly in live broadcasts of Czechoslovak Radio the FOK Orchestra made a name for itself and its economic existence was assured. This allowed gradual development of concert activities, whose main promoter from the very beginning was Dr. Václav Smetáček. Within a very short time Dr. Václav Smetáček managed to build the orchestra into a large symphonic ensemble fully capable of standing up to strong domestic competition. In 1942 he became the orchestra's chief conductor, and he stood at its head for a full thirty years. During the period of his leadership the orchestra achieved a high performance standard and international renown. After many years of efforts by the orchestra's leadership starting in 1945, the City of Prague followed the model of other European cities and in 1952 established its own professional concert ensemble to represent the city. The traditional acronym "FOK" was retained, and the new title of the orchestra became Symphony Orchestra of the Capital City of Prague - FOK. In 1957 the orchestra departed on its first foreign tours - to Poland, Italy, Austria, and Germany - and thus inaugurated its regular and intensive engagement on the international scene. After Smetáček's departure from the post of chief conductor, artistic leadership was taken over in succession by Ladislav Slovák (1972 - 1976), Jindřich Rohan (1976 - 1977), and then Jiří Bělohlávek (1977 - 1989), whose work marked an important stage from the standpoint of the ensemble's intensive artistic development. After Bělohlávek came Petr Altrichter (1990 - 1992), Martin Turnovský (1992 - 1995), and Gaetano Delogu (1995 - 1998). Other important Czech conductors who have worked with the orchestra over a long period have included especially Václav Neumann, Zdeněk Košler, and Vladimír Válek. During the time of its existence, the orchestra received its renown and respect of others under the direction of world-renown conductors (Václav Talich,, Rafael Kubelík, Karel Ančerl, Sir Georg Solti, Seiji Ozawa, Zubin Mehta, Sir Charles Mackerras, Gennadij Rožděstvenskij, Eliahu Inbal, etc.) and in collaboration with a remarkable range of soloists (David Oistrah, Isaac Stern, Josef Suk, Arthur Rubinstein, Rudolf Firkušný, Svjatoslav Richter, Claudio Arrau, Murray Perahia, Ivan Moravec, Garrick Ohlsson, Maurice André, Christian Lindberg, Mstislav Rostropovič, Mischa Maisky, Hienrich Schiff, Katia Ricciarelli, Gabriela Beňačková, Eva Urbanová, Peter Dvorský, Thomas Hampson, Ruggero Raimondi, Renée Fleming, Sergei Nakarjakov, etc.) The Prague Symphony Orchestra has performed in most countries of Europe, repeatedly in Japan and the USA and has also visited South America, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Korea, Turkey, Israel, and other countries. As of 2001 the orchestra's Music Director - Chief Conductor is Serge Baudo, while the post of Principal Conductor is held by Petr Altrichter. The Principal Guest Conductor is Libor Pešek, and Kazuhiko Komatsu is also a Guest Conductor. In 2003, the orchestra has prepared the season’s top opera event when it brought to Prague one of the world’s best sopranos, Renée Fleming, and accompanied her on her two Prague concerts. Two months following this truly classical event, the orchestra shows it modern face and brings rock band Lucie (a top Czech band) on the stage of the Smetana Hall as an equal partner. With Lucie, the orchestra has performed a concert which will most likely become the most interesting crossover of the season 2004. In 2004, seventy years will pass since the original orchestra’s dedication. The orchestra will begin its jubilee season in the very centre of Prague, on the Old Town Square in front of the broadest spectre of audience. Following the opening, the orchestra is preparing some fine music delicatessen as well as many concerts with the best Czech and international conductors and soloists. In this season we will welcome Ivan Moravec, Garrick Ohlsonn, Gabriela Beňačková, Paata Burchuladze, Dagmar Pecková, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Maxim Shostakovich and Ute Lemper and many others. September 2004 |
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| Representation:
Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy* *) not exclusive |
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