Prague Spring music festival launched

The 79th edition of the Prague Spring International Music Festival was launched on Sunday with a commemoration ceremony at the grave of Czech composer Bedřich Smetana at Prague’s Vyšehrad cemetary.

The festival, which will celebrate the Year of Czech Music, will offer dozens of concerts by symphony orchestras and other ensembles, including La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra of the Milan Opera and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France.

The opening concert, Smetana’s My Country, will be performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker, conducted by Kirill Petrenko. It will be screened live to the public at Prague’s Kampa park.