Jakub Hrůša conducts an all-Smetana bicentennial tribute

Although not as well-known as Antonín Dvořák in the rest of the world, the great Bedřich Smetana is remembered in his homeland as the "father of Czech music," the first major figure to forge a Bohemian musical identity that would pave the way for his successors. 2024 marks the 200th anniversary of Smetana's birth, and we are thrilled to bring you to the opening gala concert of the composer's namesake festival in Litomyšl, where Czech maestro Jakub Hrůša and the Czech Philharmonic celebrate the bicentennial with selections from across his wide-ranging oeuvre! In Smetana's symphonic poems, chamber works, opera music, and spirited dance tunes, experience firsthand how far his gifts extended beyond the famous (but no less sublime) "Vltava" from Ma Vlást and The Bartered Bride. This riveting gala also features circus acrobats from La Putyka and a feast for the eyes by Ukrainian sand artist Kseniya Simonova.