Spanish conductor Roberto Forés Veses took the reins of the English Chamber Orchestra for the 2024/2025 season, having previously made a significant mark on the international music scene, notably as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Orchestre National d’Auverne.
This concert served as the closing gala of the 28th Made in Prague Festival, which showcased a fusion of art, film, poetry, and live music. It also coincided with the Year of Czech Music 2024, a global celebration marking a decade of Czech composers. For this performance, Veses chose a “musical fresco” that juxtaposed two very different nationalistic musical aesthetics: the Czech and the French, with works by Fauré, Dvořák, and Saint-Saëns. Despite the contrast between the two musical traditions, the blend was seamless, complementary, and ultimately successful.
The evening opened with Masques et bergamasques, Op. 112, by Gabriel Fauré. Composed in 1918 at the invitation of Raoul Gunsbourg, manager of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, this short ballet follows the whimsical adventures of Harlequin and Columbine, characters from the Italian Commedia dell’arte tradition. The piece, scored for a small orchestra, was a perfect fit for the ECO. Though the ballet’s lively and melodic music would have been further enhanced by dancers, it was easy to imagine them as the music swirled through the hall, providing a charming appetizer for the main event: Dvořák’s Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 53.
Joined by Czech violin virtuoso Pavel Ŝporcl, renowned for his iconic blue violin (which matches his striking blue eyes), the performance was nothing short of magical. Ŝporcl, dressed in a ponytail and a black sequined jacket that sparkled as much as his playing, exuded technical brilliance and emotional depth. His control of clean notes and expressive phrasing were breathtaking, making it clear that the music was deeply personal to him—an extension of his Czech soul. The virtuosity in his fast-note passages left the audience in awe, while his performance also demonstrated an extraordinary palette of sound, from delicate pianissimi to dramatic Bohemian outbursts. It was as though the music flowed directly from his body through his bow. His captivating performance earned him rapturous applause at the end of the first half.
The second half featured Ŝporcl performing Saint-Saëns’ Rondo Capriccioso, a piece that has gained added depth in interpretation over the years. The introduction was infused with more yearning and emotional build-up, and Ŝporcl took the audience on a thrilling ride through the contrasting rondo with rapid, virtuosic trills before bringing the piece to an exciting conclusion.
As an encore, Ŝporcl delighted the audience with Bach’s Sonata in C major, Gavotte in E Major. His performance was electrifying from the first note, and the audience responded with a thunderous ovation, clearly enraptured by his artistry.
The evening concluded with Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8, which transported us back to the lilting sounds of Bohemia. Under Veses’ expert direction, the orchestra brought out the contrasting movements with exceptional subtlety, highlighting the richness and depth of the music.
In all, it was a wonderful conclusion to what has been an extraordinarily successful festival, and we look forward to next year’s edition.
Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre
Pavel Ŝporcl – violin
Roberto Forés Veses conducting the English Chamber Orchestra
Programme
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) Masques et bergamasques Op. 112.
Antonin Dvořàk (1841-1904) Violin Concerto in A minor Op. 53
Camille Saint-Saëns (1841-1904) Introduction and Rondo capriccioso for violin and orchestra Op. 28
Antonin Dvořàk (1841-1904) Symphony no. 8 in G Op. 88.
30th November 2024