The Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra has, for decades, enriched the stay not only of spa guests but also of the city’s residents. The orchestra regularly performs in the historic building of the Imperial Spa. During the summer season, you can also attend KSO concerts at the Mill Colonnade, Market Colonnade, or Park Colonnade, which are among the main landmarks of the local spa tradition.
The orchestra performs not only on concert stages in the Czech Republic (including the Prague Spring Festival), but also abroad, especially in Germany and other European countries. Its activities include symphonic programs as well as opera festivals (Oviedo), ballet evenings (Bregenz), international competitions (Zaragoza), and cantata concerts (Antwerp, Bonn, Karlsruhe, and more).
Repertoire of KSO
The repertoire of the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra includes classical works of the 19th and 20th centuries as well as music by contemporary composers. A prominent feature of KSO’s programming is the presentation of Czech music. Its dramaturgy is enriched by cross-genre projects combining symphonic music with jazz and rock.
An important part of the summer season is the mini-festival Beethoven Days. These concerts have been held in Karlovy Vary since 1992 as a reminder of the composer’s stay in the spa town in 1812.
A bit of history
The Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1835 as a seasonal spa ensemble by Josef Labitzký. In 1875, Josef’s son August transformed it into a permanent symphony orchestra. Under August Labitzký’s baton, the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra became the first ensemble in Europe to perform Antonín Dvořák’s "New World Symphony".
Another important conductor was Robert Manzer (1911–1941), who raised the orchestra both artistically and through contacts with leading figures of European music. After World War II, the orchestra resumed its activity in 1945 under Josef Bartl. Other notable figures who shaped the orchestra in the post-war era included Václav Neumann, Vladimír Matěj, Josef Hercl, and Radomil Eliška.
