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25.3.2026 | Tourism
During Sunday's meeting of the commission consisting of members of the board of directors, members of the orchestra council and the orchestra director, the Slovak-born conductor Michaela Rózsa Růžičková was elected as the new chief conductor of the West Bohemian Symphony Orchestra in Mariánské Lázně. She thus becomes the first woman to hold this position in the 205 years of the orchestra's existence and only the second female chief conductor in the history of the Czech Republic.
"The election and the whole meeting of the Commission and the Board of Directors was held in a very friendly and constructive spirit. I must thank all my colleagues who approached the process very responsibly. All six candidates were of an extremely high standard. I am personally very happy that we could meet such inspiring personalities," said Vladimír Smutný, the orchestra's director.
Michaela Rózsa Růžičková is not only a conductor, but also an opera singer, pianist and arranger. Thanks to her multi-genre nature, she brings new opportunities for cooperation and versatile artistic development to the orchestra.
She is also a long-term music educator and actively introduces classical music to young audiences.
"The West Bohemian Symphony Orchestra has a strong charm for me - not only with its history, but also with the beautiful human energy I felt during our meetings. I appreciate all the more the trust I have received. I am very much looking forward to our cooperation and I believe that together we will create something extraordinary," said Michaela Rózsa Růžičková.
In the coming weeks, negotiations will take place on the future direction of the orchestra, including the preparation of the dramaturgy of the new subscription series, planning of the concert season and other artistic projects.
In her new capacity, the new chief conductor will be presented to the audience for the first time at the inaugural concert, which will take place on Friday 11 September 2026 at the Casino Social House in Mariánské Lázně.
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