2016
IMF Český Krumlov celebrates 25 years
The International Music Festival Český Krumlov celebrated a quarter of a century of its existence in 2016. The jubilee 25th year took place from 15th July till 6th August. During these three weeks a number of exceptional artists led by the main star, tenor Juan Diego Flórez, who opened the festival with his opera gala concert on 16th July, made an appearance. He was accompanied by the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, the residential orchestra of the festival. A day earlier the festival prologue on the occasion of the celebrations of the 25th jubilee took place on the southern terraces of the castle – a musical visual fantasy titled Vivat festival!, which viewers could watch from the opposite banks and from the bridges.
Audiences heard symphony as well as chamber concerts interpreted by leading soloists and ensembles in attractive locations of a town which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Viewers experienced a beautiful summer atmosphere during the musical evenings under the open skies of the Brewery Garden, Kooperativa Garden and the newly renovated Monastery Garden; however, they also enjoyed concerts in the interiors – at the Masquerade Hall, Castle Riding Hall, Castle Chapel and Monastery Church.
World-renowned pianists Alexei Volodin and Kun Woo Paik accompanied by symphony ensembles made an appearance. A Night with Mozart – a concert on the occasion of the 260th anniversary of the birth of this composer – took place. Mozart’s Requiem was interpreted by soloists Eva Hornyáková, Alena Kropáčková, Ĺudovít Ludha and Peter Mikuláš with the accompaniment of the South Czech Philharmonic and Kühn Choir of Prague. A series of chamber concerts was also prepared – the ensembles Tiburtina ensemble and Schwingungen trio, organists Karel Martínek and Jaroslav Tůma and flautist Jae A Yoo performed.
Besides classical music, the IMF Český Krumlov also offered a wide array of other music genres: jazz, a musical, film music, flamenco, chanson and others. Musical stars sang in the Bravo Broadway! program, brilliant flamenco guitarist Carlos Piñana accompanied by a symphony orchestra as well as jazz legend trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, who played at the festival twice, at the Castle Riding Hall as a soloist with the South Czech Philharmonic (the audience heard the European premiere of Sandoval’s Concerto for trumpet and orchestra, besides other compositions) and at the Brewery Garden with a jazz program with the accompaniment of the CBC Big Band, performed. An evening of film melodies by Ennio Morricone and Luboš Fišer and a concert of chanson singer Szidi Tobias were also prepared.
The closing concert of the 25th year was truly spectacular. Carl Orff’s work Carmina Burana was interpreted by the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Kühn Choir of Prague and Czech Philharmonic Children’s Choir. The soloists were soprano Natalia Roman, countertenor Roger Isaacs and baritone Audun Iversen. Besides concerts the festival also prepared a program for children titled Children’s Afternoon in the Rhythm of Energy.