Thomas Guggeis conducts Smetana

Synopsis

The Prague Spring Festival opens annually with Bedrich Smet ana’s cycle Má vlast (My Fatherland), always on 12 May, the anniversary of the composer’s death. It is one of the national monuments of Czech music: a musical foray through the world of the Czech mythical character Šárka, through the history and landscape of the Bohemian Basin in the heart of Europe and the old Prague castle of Vyšehrad. The most famous movement, “Vltava” describes the river Moldau and its course through the country. It is therefore a special honour to be invited to play the opening concert. Only the best orchestras are asked, but for probably no other orchestra the theme of Má vlast has such significance as for the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. At the rostrum is Thomas Guggeis, a former assistant of Daniel Barenboim, who has – as many scholars of the great maestro before – made his own career and has been appointed general music director of the Frankfurt Opera.

Additional Info

• No: A985500500000
• Composer: B. Smetana
• Conductor: Thomas Guggeis
• Orchestra: West-Eastern Divan Orchestra
• Production year: 2022
• Run time: 01:25:00
• Director: Adam Rezek
• Producers: Czech Television, ARTE, UNITEL
• Format: HDTV 16:9