Prague Spring music festival explained: Smetana, 12 May, tickets

The festival's opening night has a ritual. On 12 May, the day Bedřich Smetana died in 1884, an orchestra plays his cycle of symphonic poems Má vlast (My Country) in the city he loved. The best-known movement is Vltava, the river piece, and for many Czechs it is the nearest thing to a national soundtrack.

That is the Prague Spring International Music Festival (Pražské jaro), the main event in the city's classical calendar.

What it is

Prague Spring is an annual festival of classical music, held for roughly three weeks from mid-May. It was founded in 1946, soon after the Second World War, to put Czech musical life on show and a meeting point for international orchestras, conductors and soloists. The programme mixes symphonic repertoire with chamber music, recitals, opera and contemporary work.

Do not confuse it with the Prague Spring of 1968, the period of reform in communist Czechoslovakia that ended with the Soviet-led invasion in August. Our explainer on the Prague Spring of 1968 tells that story. The festival is older and has nothing to do with it beyond the name.

The opening and the close

The opening concert is the festival's calling card. By tradition it features Má vlast in Smetana Hall at the Municipal House, a hall named after the composer. For background on what you are hearing, see Smetana's Má vlast. The composer's birthplace has its own guide in Litomyšl.

The festival ends in early June, and the finale has often been a large symphonic work such as Beethoven's Ninth. The programme changes every year, so rely on the festival's site and not on tradition.

Where concerts happen

Concerts are held in many of Prague's halls and churches. The Municipal House has Smetana Hall, an Art Nouveau space in the centre. The Rudolfinum is the home of the Czech Philharmonic; see our guide to the Rudolfinum. Churches and palaces host chamber and organ concerts. The programme lists the venue for each concert, so check it when you buy.

How to get tickets

Buy through the festival's official site or box office. The best-known concerts, the opening night above all, sell out, so look early. Prices are set per concert and vary widely, so check the official site for the programme, prices and booking dates.

Be wary of street sellers and resellers: you risk paying too much for a ticket that may not be valid. Our guide to finding a classical concert in Prague covers buying safely. Do not confuse the festival with year-round tourist concerts advertised in similar words, and check you are buying from the festival's own channels.

What to wear and when to arrive

Concerts in Prague are less formal than they once were, though people still dress up for the opening night. Smart casual is a safe baseline. Cloakrooms are standard and usually compulsory in cool weather; see opera and ballet in Prague for etiquette that applies here too. Many halls do not seat latecomers until a pause, so you may miss the opening piece if you are late.

Choosing a concert

If the programme looks overwhelming, ask three questions. Big orchestra or something intimate? Music you know or something new? And how much does the venue matter to you? A symphonic concert in a major hall is a different evening from a chamber recital in a historic church, and both can be memorable. Read the programme notes, which tell you how long the pieces are and whether there is an interval. If the opening night is sold out, the festival's other concerts are strong throughout, and some of the less famous ones are easier to book and more intimate.

Making a spring trip around it

May is a good month to visit: mild weather, a green city and a reason for an evening out. Our guide to Prague in spring gives the wider picture. Earlier in the season the Easter markets open the spring, and Museum Night, usually in June, is another evening to plan around.

Frequently asked questions

When does the Prague Spring festival start?

It traditionally opens on 12 May, the anniversary of Smetana's death, with Má vlast. Check the programme each year.

Is it related to the Prague Spring of 1968?

No. The festival was founded in 1946. The 1968 Prague Spring was a political reform movement in Czechoslovakia.

Where do I buy tickets?

From the festival's official site or box office. Be cautious about resellers.

What is Má vlast?

A cycle of six symphonic poems by Bedřich Smetana, including Vltava, and a symbol of Czech national music.

How long does the festival last?

Around three weeks, from mid-May into early June.