The story of a king who loved, fought, and failed
Arthur Honegger’s Le Roi David is a thrilling musical drama about power, passion, guilt, and
reconciliation. In 1921, the Swiss composer set the Biblical story of David to music with astonishing force,
combining monumental choral numbers, lyrical passages, and surprisingly modern, cinematic-sounding
moments.

This exceptional work will be presented in a performance prepared exclusively for our festival by Lukáš
Vasilek. The cast includes top Czech and international artists, including soprano Kateřina Kněžíková and
Vladimír Polívka as the narrator. They will be joined by the Prague Philharmonic Choir and the Prague
Philharmonia.

programme

Bohuslav Martinů:
Sinfonietta La Jolla for piano and chamber orchestra, H. 328
I. Poco allegro
II. Largo – Andante moderato
III. Allegro

Arthur Honegger:
Le Roi David

Part I
I. Introduction
II. The Song of David, the Shepherd
III. Psalm: All Praise to Him
IV. Song of Victory
V. March
VI. Psalm: In the Lord I Put my Faith
VII. Psalm: O Had I Wings Like a Dove
VIII. Song of the Prophets
IX. Have Mercy on Me, my Lord
X. Saul’s Camp
XI. Psalm: God, the Lord Shall Be my Light
XII. Incantation
XIII. March of the Philistines
XIV. The Lamentations of Gilboa

Part II
XV. Festival Song (Song of the Daughters of Israel)
XVI. The Dance before the Ark

Part III
XVII. Song, Now my Voice in Song Upsoaring
XVIII. Song of the Handmaid
XIX. Psalm of Penitence
XX. Psalm; Behold, in Evil I Was Born
XXI. Psalm: O Shall I Raise mine Eyes unto the Mountains?
XXII. The Song of Ephraim
XXIII. March of the Hebrews
XXIV. Psalm: In my Distress
XXV. Psalm: In this Terror, the Great God which I Adore
XXVI. The Coronation of Solomon
XXVII. The Death of David

performers

Kateřina Kněžíková – soprano
Helen Charlston – alto
Dovlet Nurgeldiyev – tenor
Vladimír Polívka – narrator
Prague Philharmonic Choir
Prague Philharmonia
Conductor Lukáš Vasilek

photogallery