The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra has officially unveiled the program for its 99th concert season
The 2025/2026 season will take audiences to Prague’s most prestigious concert halls – Dvořák Hall at the Rudolfinum, Smetana Hall in the Municipal House, and the Bethlehem Chapel. Chamber concerts will be held in Studio 1 at Vinohradská 12. Programmatic diversity and openness to new impulses remain central pillars of the orchestra’s concert series.
The season will open with Czech conductor Tomáš Hanus leading the orchestra in a program of works by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and Strauss. Other distinguished guest conductors will include Jonathan Nott, Andris Poga and Omer Meir Wellber. From the realm of contemporary music, PRSO will present world premieres of compositions by Ondřej Adámek, Jaroslav Pelikán, and Jiří Levíček. A highlight of the season will be the Czech premiere of Adámek’s Violin Concerto, performed by renowned violinist Christian Tetzlaff. Other highlights include a performance of Stravinsky’s opera-oratorio Oedipus rex with the Prague Philharmonic Choir conducted by Petr Popelka, and Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle, conducted by Robert Jindra and featuring singers Szilvia Vörös and Günther Groissböck.
“I believe this year’s program is one that will stay with you – and that it also foreshadows what lies ahead in our milestone 100th season,” says Chief Conductor Petr Popelka. “PRSO is an orchestra with tremendous potential, flexibility, and soul. This season, we want to prove that once again – across styles, genres, and centuries.”
World-Class Stars and Outstanding Czech Talents
The soloists promise unforgettable experiences. Among those joining the orchestra will be legendary French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard performing Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major, and British pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason with Rachmaninoff’s expressive and demanding Piano Concerto No. 3. Other soloists in the season include organist Christian Schmitt, marimbists Ludwig Albert and Ladislav Bilan Jr., violinist Josef Špaček, pianists Martin Kasík and Marek Kozák, cellist Tomáš Jamník, and sopranos Kateřina Kněžíková and Veronika Rovná.
Brahms’s Symphonies as a Festive Culmination
The closing program of the subscription series at the Municipal House will be one of the season’s most ambitious projects – a complete performance of all four symphonies by Johannes Brahms. This exceptional programming concept offers audiences a unique opportunity to follow the development of Brahms’s musical language and the depth of his symphonic legacy in its full breadth. “Brahms’s symphonic works are among the purest expressions of musical genius, and we believe their power and beauty will resonate with you just as deeply as they do with us musicians,” adds Petr Popelka.
A Special Evening for Musical Theatre Fans
To mark the 35th anniversary of the radio program Muzikál expres, the orchestra will present a special concert at Forum Karlín. Celebrated Czech musical theatre stars – Monika Absolonová, Václav Noid Bárta, and Michaela Gemrotová-Štiková – will perform alongside the Czech Radio Children’s Choir, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2025. The concert will feature famous melodies from international and Czech musicals.
“I’m pleased that we continue to bridge classical music with new formats and genres, engaging audiences across generations. I look forward to seeing you at the concerts – whether in the halls or through the radio waves,” concludes René Zavoral, Director General of Czech Radio.
Subscription tickets are available from Tuesday, April 15. Single ticket sales begin on Monday, April 28. Further information and the complete season program are available on the orchestra’s official website: prso.czech.radio.
Photo: @Michal Fanta
