Friday 14 February 2025 7.30pm
We are thrilled to introduce the illustrious Prague Symphony Orchestra as they visit The Bridgewater Hall on their whirlwind international tour. They bring with them musical treasures from two legendary Russian composers, and their celebrated countryman, Antonín Dvořák. The evening will feature Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, Dvořák’s symphonic poem The Noon Witch, and conclude with Shostakovich’s powerful Fifth Symphony. This concert promises to be an enchanting night for all.
Dvořák – The Noon Witch, Op. 108, B. 196
Our Czech visitors will begin with a lesser-known masterpiece from a Czech giant. The Noon Witch is the second of four symphonic poems composed upon Dvořák’s return to his native Bohemia. Based on a poem from Karel Jaromír Erben’s collection of fables, Polednice (The Noon Witch) opens with a mother chastising her son for misbehaving while she prepares his father’s lunch. She threatens to summon the Noon Witch if he doesn’t behave, but the boy ignores her. The bass clarinet and tremolo strings announce the witch’s eerie arrival, and a frenetic dance ensues as she chases the mother and son. At the stroke of noon, signaled by the church bells, the witch disappears. The father, blissfully unaware, returns home to find his wife unconscious, and their son suffocated in her arms.
Tchaikovsky – Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35
Next, the impeccable Alexander Sitkovetsky will perform Tchaikovsky’s beloved Violin Concerto, written in 1878 while the composer was recovering on the shores of Lake Geneva after the breakdown of his marriage. Inspiration struck suddenly when the young violinist Iosif Kotek, visited him at the Swiss resort. This encounter sparked one of the most celebrated violin concertos in the repertoire. The concerto concludes with a lively Trepak, a traditional Cossack dance, characterised by Russian folk-inspired melodies, harmonic drones, and an exhilarating acceleration—a joyful conclusion to the first half of the evening.
Shostakovich – Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 47
The final piece of the evening is the symphony that arguably saved Shostakovich’s life. Following a series of poorly received works and a scathing article in Pravda (believed to have been written under Stalin’s direction) accusing the composer of “Formalism,” Shostakovich faced the very real threat of being labeled a dissident. The premiere of his Fifth Symphony marked his redemption, aligning with the Party’s expectations of Socialist Realism. Yet, the symphony’s ambiguous nature has fuelled debate: some view its fierce intensity as a forced optimism, while others interpret its darker undertones as a subtle critique of the regime and the suffering of the Russian people under Stalin.
Book your tickets now for this enchanting evening.
Conductor – Tomáš Brauner
A true native of Prague, Tomáš Brauner studied at the Prague State Conservatory and now serves as Chief Conductor of the Prague Symphony Orchestra. With extensive experience conducting orchestras across Czechia, Germany, Slovakia, Romania, Russia, and Greece, Brauner is steeped in the music of Eastern Europe. Who better to guide his hometown orchestra through this captivating programme?
Soloist – Alexander Sitkovetsky
Internationally renowned violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky comes from a formidable musical lineage, with both parents accomplished professional musicians and his uncle, Dmitri Sitkovetsky, a celebrated violinist. A precocious talent, Alexander began performing internationally at the age of eight and earned a place at the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin School. Since then, his glittering career has taken him to some of the world’s greatest stages.
