The BIGGEST symphony orchestra in the region

The ensemble in Teplice has been active since 1838 and it is currently the only philharmonic in the Ústí nad Labem Region.

Until the 18th century, one needed to go to church, the opera or theatre to enjoy good music. The church and the aristocracy were the ones who commissioned most new pieces. The development of civil rights, free enterprise and the townspeople becoming increasingly more self-confident resulted, at the start of the 19th century, in the genesis of new types of orchestras that differed from their predecessors in both form and focus.

So, after Berlin or Paris, the first modern symphonic ensembles were logically founded in spa towns. It was there that the then cream of society would meet, it was there that the increasingly spoilt guests needed to be attracted by something. In Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad) an orchestra was set up in 1821, in Karlovy Vary in 1835 and in Teplice a mere 3 years later. Czech orchestras outside of spa towns typically came into existence fifty to one hundred years later.

The North Bohemian Philharmonic Orchestra in Teplice preserves its character as a spa orchestra to this day – fixed highlights in its programme include summer promenade concerts in Šanov Mušle as well as participation in the opening of the spa season. In addition, the philharmonic also preserves the musical genius loci that has been left here by composers visiting Teplice, chiefly in the first half of the 19th century. Apart from Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner and Frédéric Chopin, it was also Ludwig van Beethoven, who perhaps wrote his Seventh and Eighth symphonies here as well as sketches for his Ninth symphony, who left an impression on the town.

The Teplice Philharmonic is the only symphony orchestra in the Ústí nad Labem Region today.