0
The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. / Courtesy of Seoul Phil

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (Seoul Phil) will perform at the opening ceremony of the Prague Spring International Music Festival, one of the world's most prestigious classical music festivals. This is the first time in the festival's 80-year history that a non-European orchestra has been selected for the opening performance.

Seoul Phil announced on July 6 that it will hold the opening and special performances at the 82nd Prague Spring International Music Festival, held at Smetana Hall in the Municipal House in Prague, Czech Republic, on May 12 and 13, 2027 (local time). Under the baton of Music Director Jaap van Zweden, Seoul Phil will perform the complete cycle of 'Má vlast' (My Country), a symphonic poem by the iconic Czech composer Bedřich Smetana, twice.

Founded in 1946, the Prague Spring International Music Festival is a leading European classical music festival. Every year on May 12, the anniversary of Smetana's death, the festival traditionally opens with his masterpiece 'Má vlast.' World-class orchestras including the Czech Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra have historically graced the opening stage.

With this invitation, Seoul Phil joins the ranks of these prestigious orchestras. In particular, being tasked with performing the full cycle of 'Má vlast'—the very symbol of the festival—signifies that Seoul Phil's musical capabilities have been recognized on the international stage.

Seoul Phil had been in discussions with the festival organizers since the spring of last year and finalized its opening performance slot at the end of last year. The orchestra expects this invitation, achieved through its own planning capabilities and international network, to serve as an opportunity to elevate the status of K-classical music to the next level.

Recently, Seoul Phil has steadily expanded its presence on the international stage. Following an invitation to Abu Dhabi Classics in 2024, it became the first Korean orchestra to perform in a curated concert at Carnegie Hall in New York in 2025. This coming August, it is also scheduled to embark on a European tour covering San Sebastián in Spain, Merano in Italy, and Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

"Following its milestone as the first Korean orchestra to be invited to Carnegie Hall and the first Asian orchestra to sign a long-term recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will now become the first non-European orchestra to open the Prague Spring Festival," said Roman Bělor, chairman of the Prague Spring festival committee. "The 'Má vlast' performed by Seoul Phil will offer a truly special experience to audiences attending the 2027 festival."

                                                                                                          Jeon Hye-won