Drawing on the rich orchestral fabric of Smetana’s operas, this programme reveals a composer whose dramatic instinct is inseparable from his gift for melody and rhythm. The music moves effortlessly between festive brilliance and intimate lyricism: spirited dances pulse with folkloric vitality, while preludes and interludes open more reflective, often poetic spaces. From the sparkling theatricality of The Bartered Bride to the ceremonial breadth of Libuše, and from the dramatic tension of Dalibor to the darker, more fantastical elements of The Devil’s Wall, each excerpt captures a distinct facet of Smetana’s musical language. Throughout, a strong sense of national identity emerges—not through direct quotation alone, but through rhythmic energy, shifting tonal colour, and an instinct for narrative pacing. Under Gianandrea Noseda’s direction, the orchestra brings clarity and momentum to these contrasting scenes, shaping a sequence that feels both episodic and organically unified, and illuminating the theatrical imagination that lies at the heart of Smetana’s orchestral writing.