Thu, 25. 3. 2027, 19:00 hrs.

B5 Beethoven 200 | Missa Solemnis

Venue: Zlín Congress Centre  |  Organizer: Filharmonie Bohuslava Martinů, o.p.s.  | 

March 2027 marks the bicentenary of the death of Ludwig van Beethoven, who fundamentally transformed European music and paved the way for Romantic thought. On the eve of this anniversary we hear a performance of his Missa Solemnis, a work that the composer himself described toward the end of his life as his finest achievement.

Beethoven worked on this monumental mass between 1817 and 1823 and dedicated it to his patron, the Archbishop of Olomouc, Archduke Rudolph of Habsburg-Lorraine. Although the composition is based on a traditional liturgical text, its scale and complexity from the outset transcended the scope of ordinary church music as it was intended primarily for the concert stage. The score combines strict contrapuntal work with dramatic structure and intimate solo passages, creating a deeply personal statement about human responsibility and the search for the meaning of faith. Interestingly, the first complete performance of the mass as part of a church service took place in 1830 in Varnsdorf, North Bohemia, only after the composer's death.

Our performance tonight under the baton of chief conductor Robert Kružík offers an exceptional listening experience, also thanks to the participation of the Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno, one of the most respected European choral ensembles. Four leading Czech opera singers also join the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra in a tribute to a genius whose legacy resonates even today with its unprecedented moral power and artistic urgency.