Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava

Within a very short time after its establishment in 1954, the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava ranked among the leading Czech symphonic orchestras. Since 1958, when it made its first tour abroad, the orchestra has repeatedly visited entire Europe, the U.S.A., Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. And in 2006, thanks to the financial support provided by the Municipality of the City of Ostrava and Arcelor Mittal, the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra had made tour to Australia. In 2009 the JPO went for the tour in 19 cities of USA. And now plans his first tour to China. The orchestra is regularly invited to participate in the prestigious Czech festivals (Prague Spring, Janáček May, Smetana Litomyšl, Prague Music Festival, etc.). The orchestra artistic profile characterized by its full and deep sound, musical expression and technical maturity has gradually been formed by both permanent conductors and significant guests such as V. Neumann, V. Smetáček, J. Bělohlávek, L. Pešek, Z. Mácal, Ch. Mackerras, S. Baudo, H. Rilling, H. M. Förster, Ch. Arming, D. Porcelijn, J. Valčuha and since 2005 also by Theodore Kuchar, its present Chief Conductor. The well-known soloists who have performed with the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava include, for example, J. Suk, A. Navarra, J. Carreras, P. Domingo, D. Pecková E. Urbanová, J. Calleja, T. Lisnic, P. Burchuladze and recently L. Vondráček, J. Boušková, P. Šporcl, J. Buswell, S. Babayan or D. Ishizaka, and other. The Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava performs not only the work by Janáček and other Czech composers that are well-known all over the world such as Dvořák, Smetana and Martinů but the width of its repertoire is much larger, as evidenced by the dramaturgy of individual concerts where such names as L. van Beethoven, W. A. Mozart, Fr. Schubert, R. Strauss, B. Bartók, R. Schumann, M. Ravel, M. Bruch, A. Bruckner, A. Copland, L. Bernstein, W. Walton and others appear. A rich discography by companies such as Naxos, Brilliant Classics, Joan Records, Cybelle Records, CPO Records, Phaedra and others attest to its rich repertoire.