A French conductor and a Czech orchestra meet American audiences at Carnegie Hall
At a time when international news can feel increasingly unsettling, a calm and thoughtful conversation about music, culture and perspective stood out. In a special episode of Czechast brings listeners an interview with Emmanuel Villaume, chief conductor of the Prague Philharmonia, recorded shortly before the orchestra’s U.S. tour, which included a concert at Carnegie Hall. The conversation offers a rare insight into how a French conductor leading a Czech orchestra thinks about audiences, identity and music beyond borders.
“In the end, the question of nationality is not necessarily that relevant,” Villaume says. “You are a musician, they are musicians. They know the Czech sound, they have a certain approach to their repertoire. I have a certain approach to the French repertoire — and we learn from each other.”
In this special episode of Czechast, you’ll hear what a French conductor leading a Czech orchestra has to say about American audiences, about performing at Carnegie Hall, about pressure — and about why music remains a powerful form of communication across cultures.
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Czechast, Radio Prague International
Czechast is a regular RPI podcast about Czech and Moravian culture, history, and economy.
