Music as a conversation with God? This is how the Georgian composer Gija Kancheli, who visited Bratislava several times in person, viewed the process of composing. Chiaroscuro refers in name and music to the technique of Renaissance and Baroque painters, the basis of which is the creation of a sharp contrast between light and shadow. The simplicity and purity of Kancheli's work is also characteristic of the compositions of Mozart and Dvořák, of course in a slightly different period context. The Jupiter is the last and longest symphony of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It is also the culmination of a trio of symphonies written in rapid succession. The Czech Suite by Antonín Dvořák was also intended to be the last of the trio of serenades, but the addition of elements from Czech folk music eventually turned the work into a five-movement suite. The Polka, the Neighbourhood and the final Furiant are unique examples of the musical traditions of our neighbours.

Concertmaster Jarolím Emmanuel Ružička will once again be able to show his technical brilliance. For the first time in 2023, the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra will be led by its chief conductor Daniel Raiskin.