12. 8. 2025
HARMONIA MORAVIAE 2025
Next spring marks 80 years since the public in Zlín first heard the sound of their newly founded philharmonic orchestra when, on 30th April 1946, the Velké Kino theatre hosted the orchestra’s first performance. The orchestra has since gone on to become a cornerstone of cultural life not only in “the capital of shoe-making" as Zlín was sometimes known, but also in the wider region.
The ensuing eight decades have seen several generations of top-notch musicians passing through the Orchestra’s ranks, linking their professional careers but also their personal lives with the orchestra, and it is they who have shaped the face of the Philharmonic as it is today, together with its musical persona. Equally important in this respect are the chief conductors who have set the orchestra’s direction, shaping its artistic development and taking it onwards and upwards to the next artistic level.
We are therefore delighted to welcome a whole host of top-class soloists and musicians from this country and abroad to Zlín for the 23rd season of our Harmonia Moraviae International Music Festival and our entire 2025-26 anniversary concert season. Centre-stage in this celebration are, of course, all 88 members of the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic who are launching this festival to mark 80 years of “their” orchestra. They are the festival’s key figures not only on the grand stage in full symphonic formation, but also in chamber groups, where their unique musical personalities and carefully coordinated performance stand out even more.
The programming of the individual concerts, certainly not the easiest in terms of performance, will present new challenges, but this anniversary season is a great opportunity for the Orchestra to showcase its strength and expertise. No surprise, then, that the whole festival season takes place under the watchword “Full on!”, “Live!”, “Here’s to You!” with the Orchestra “full on” in terms of its commitment, its concerts performed “live” and in direct contact with the audiences, and with a hearty toast to celebrate its big anniversary!
Download the 2025 Harmonia Moraviae Guide