Public farewell to Libor Pešek

Nov 28, 2022

Refined, hardworking and with a sense of self-irony, music was intrinsic to his life. The Czech National Symphony Orchestra is bidding farewell to his chief conductor Libor Pešek. Under the baton of Petr Altricher, it will perform some of his most treasured works at the Smetana Hall of the Municipal House.

The Czech conductor and student of Karel Ančerl, Václav Smetáček and Václav Neumann, Libor Pešek left this world on Sunday 23rd October 2022. Chief conductor of the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, he also ventured abroad with his talent including to the Netherlands and the United Kingdom where he led the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. The Czech National Symphony Orchestra began working with chief conductor Libor Pešek in 2007, leading to an impressive collaboration that included concerts as part of the subscription series as well as unprecedented success on five tours around Great Britain. It was thanks to these concerts that the orchestra caught the attention of British audiences and earned a solid reputation there.

Between 2007 and 2017 along with the Czech National Symphony, he also made history with the incredible feat of managing to record the complete works of Gustav Mahler.

A farewell concert to our dear chief conductor Libor Pešek together with family and friends will be held at the Smetana Hall of the Municipal House at 7.30 on 6th December 2022. The programme will feature some of Mr Pešek’s most loved works.

Antonín Dvořák – Slavonic Dance No. 16, op.72

Josef Suk – Pohádka, (A Fairy Tale) op.16 orchestral suite from incidental music for a mythological drama

  • Raduz and Mahulena
  • About the Constant Love of Raduz and Mahulena and Their Trials
  • Playing at Swans and Peacocks
  • Funeral music
  • Runa’s Curse and How It was Broken by True Love


George Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue
Marcel Javorček, piano

Victor Young, Edward Heyman – When I Fall in Love
Jan Hasenöhrl, bugle

Conducting the Czech National Symphony Orchestra will be Petr Altrichter.

More information on ticket@cnso.cz, +420 774 785 702. 

Public farewell to Libor Pešek