Prague Philharmonia Launches New Season of Family Concerts

The Prague Philharmonia is opening the 32nd season of its popular family concerts with an interactive musical fairytale, Journey to King Inyoni. The first concerts of the new series will take place on Saturday, 25 October 2025, in the Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum, starting at 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM.

This year's season has been prepared by a new creative team: Viktorie Vášová, a distinctive director working at the intersection of theatre and performance art. The script and musical dramaturgy are by Klára Boudalová, an experienced author of concert stories who connects the worlds of music and storytelling. The set design and imaginative costumes were created by Klára Fleková, a designer whose work draws on the imagination and symbolism of the children's world.

The main roles will be performed by Lucia Čižinská and Štěpán Lustyk, actors known from the Minor Theatre, Na zábradlí, Archa, Meetfactory, and the Prague City Theatres, with extensive experience performing for young audiences. This time, the conductor's baton will be taken up by Chuhei Iwasaki, a Czech conductor with Japanese roots.

"The tradition of family concerts was introduced to the Czech music scene by conductor Jiří Bělohlávek, the founder of the Prague Philharmonia. It is thanks to his vision of connecting classical music with the world of children that this concert series was created, which for more than three decades has been opening the door to this unique art form for the youngest listeners. I believe that it is here, in a very entertaining and accessible way, that a lifelong love of music is often born. Every concert is also an opportunity to spend quality, meaningful time with children. And that is perhaps more valuable today than ever before," says Pavel Trojan, Director of the Prague Philharmonia.

The first story will take the children to the African savanna. They will receive a letter from King Inyoni, who is asking for help. The sacred singing tree has stopped making music and is withering. On their journey, they will meet a sad swan who will carry them on its wings to distant Africa, a wise elephant who shows them the right way, and finally King Inyoni himself, who, thanks to their courage, reawakens the tree's music.

The family concerts are designed for children from the age of five and offer a live, direct experience with music. The young listeners are not just spectators; they become part of the story. They help the heroes, make decisions about the plot, and perceive the music through emotions and play. They share this experience with their parents and grandparents. Each of the four concerts in this series is an original adventure that combines classical music with fantasy, movement, and the visual world.