PKF - Prague Philharmonia on tour in Taiwan
PKF - Prague Philharmonia is looking forward to a series of concerts in Taiwan. Under the baton of Leoš Svárovský, the orchestra will perform two programs on 8 October in Taipei, 9 October in Taichung, 10 October in Pingtung and 11 October in Kaohsiung. The soloist for all four concerts will be American-French pianist Andrew von Oeyen. The tour will take place under the auspices of the Mayor of Prague Zdeněk Hřib.
The PKF - Prague Philharmonia began preparing a tour of Taiwan at the end of 2019, following the "postponement" of the tour in mainland China. Beijing authorities "postponed" the tour after Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib announced that he wanted to change Prague's contract with Beijing. Beijing would have granted permission again if the orchestra had criticized the Prague city government's statement, which the philharmonic refused to do.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the tour dates had to be postponed twice. This year's tour is also not without complications. The orchestra has been quarantined from its arrival on 4 October until the date of the first concert on 8 October, with no possibility of leaving the hotel rooms.
The two concert programs are based on two key compositions of the world symphonic repertoire: Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 in E minor "From the New World" and Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92.
In addition, we will perform two major works of piano literature: Rachmaninoff's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 and Mozart's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 20 in D minor, KV 466.
Both programs are complemented by two impressive opera overtures - Beethoven's Egmont (to be performed at the opening of the concerts in Taichung and Kaohsiung) and Smetana's The Bartered Bride (concerts in Taipei and Pingtung).
"We are all extremely happy that, despite some complications, the tour will finally take place. We are especially looking forward to the Taiwanese audience. Moreover, our concert in Pingtung will be performed on Taiwan's national holiday. We are proud ambassadors of Prague and Czech culture. We would like to thank the City of Prague for its great support of this tour," adds the orchestra's director Kateřina Kalistová.
Taiwan is one of the important destinations where PKF - Prague Philharmonia is performing this autumn. Just recently the orchestra played in Linz at the Brucknerfest, in Brussels or at the Bratislava Music Festival, and at the end of the year, it will perform at the Musikverein in Vienna.
