Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

The Czech programme conducted by János Kovács primarily comprises symphonic poems. Originally, Janáček planned to give his remarkably orchestrated Sinfonietta such expressive movement titles as ‘The Mansion’ and ‘The Monastery’; his orchestral rhapsody Taras Bulba was inspired by a Gogol novel. At this recital, two ‘chapters’ of Smetana’s grandiose series comprising six symphonic poems (My Homeland) are performed. At the centre of the concert there is an opera scene which is exceptional not only in the opera oeuvre of Janáček: one rarely comes across such an disconcertingly uplifting moment in the entire genre. Zsuzsanna Ádám, award winner at the third Éva Marton International Singing Competition, received the invitation to perform as the special prize of the Hungarian Radio Music Ensembles.