MUSICIANS from surrounding countries as well as the USA will soon gather in the far eastern town of Košice to perform at the 49th Košická hudobná jar (Košice Music Spring).
From May 5 to June 3, internationally acclaimed soloists, chamber orchestras, and conductors will deliver 10 concerts, most of them at the Dom Umenia (House of Arts), at Moyzesova 66.
The cheerful melody of the fourth movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony/Schiller's Ode to Joy, in celebration of the country's entry to the European Union, will open the festival on May 5. International soloists - soprano Judith Kopecky from Austria, alto Marta Beňačková from Slovakia, tenor Dénes Gulyás from Hungary, and bass Richard Novák from the Czech Republic will perform the work with the Slovak Philharmonic Choir and the The Košice State Philharmonic (ŠFK) under the baton of French conductor Michel Swierczewski.
During the festival's three chamber evenings visitors can listen to the Slovak Suchoň Quintet on May 7, the Czech Kaprálová Quartet on May 18, and the Hungarian Esterházy Trio on May 24. The Kaprálová Quartet will also perform with the ŠFK on May 20, under the leadership of Czech conductor Petr Vronský.
Other ŠFK concerts will feature pianists Ivan Ženatý from the Czech Republic (May 13) and Craig Sheppard from the USA (May 27). Jerzy Swoboda from Poland and Domonkos Héja from Hungary, respectively, will conduct the events. Jazzman Dodo Šošoka and his friends will perform on May 11.
Symphonies and songs by Antonín Dvořák, presented by Slovak bass Vladimír Chmelo and dedicated to the Year of Czech Music, will close the concert on June 3.
For more information visit www.sfk.sk, or call the House of Arts at 055/6227-216.
Prepared by Zuzana Habšudová
