Who says the New World Symphony only belongs in concert halls? The celebrated music comes alive in our music video
The Dvořák Prague Festival presents a music video featuring the iconic Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”. The project, which bears the motto “Don't be so dramatic. Stay classy!”, bridges classical music, contemporary visual aesthetics and the boundless energy of young performers. The music video sparks a conversation about how to introduce our national cultural heritage to young people who discover the world mainly through social networks.
Dancer and actress Alžběta Malá plays the main role. She is joined on screen by some of the young musicians who will perform at the 2026 Festival: violinist Daniel Matejča, cellist David Pěruška and pianists Vivi Nguyen, Magdaléna Kovářová, Nora Lubbadová and Valentýna Ibriqi. Festival Director Jan Simon also has a small part to play.
Opening doors for young generations
The Festival organisers, the Academy of Classical Music, decided to step out of their comfort zone and move beyond how they usually present classical music.
“Dvořák’s legacy needs and deserves modern communication methods. If we want to share the Festival with the broad public, appealing visuals are the right way to go. Our goal is not to change the essence of classical music concerts, but to open doors to new audiences. We have always considered the Dvořák Prague Festival as both a series of excellent concerts and as a space for education, stewardship of cultural heritage and cultivation of future audiences. If classical music is to remain a vibrant part of society for decades to come, we have to know how to introduce young listeners to it in easy-to-understand and inspiring ways,”
said Robert Kolář, director of the Academy of Classical Music.
Today, international institutions like the Royal Opera House and BBC Proms regularly use similar projects.
The creative development of the music video is the work of the concept’s author, Lucie Šplíchalová from CommLab, the agency that has led Festival communications since January, and Petr Vaněk, Seeya production director.