Similar size, population, atmosphere, support for culture, and an emerging concert hall designed by one of the world’s best acousticians, Yasuhisa Toyota. These are the connections between Brno and the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. And that’s not all. At the invitation of Brno Mayor Markéta Vaňková, Lord Provost of Edinburgh Robert Aldridge visited the city in recent days, accompanied by David Waddell, the city councilor responsible for culture. “The mayor of the Scottish capital came not only to get to know Brno, but also to support his leading orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. The day before, he also attended the Scottish Evening in the courtyard, the informal opening of the Moravian Autumn International Music Festival,” said Czech Consul in Edinburgh Veronika Macleod, who visited Brno a week earlier.
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra received a standing ovation from a sold-out hall at the Besední dům. “It was very warm and pleasant, as was the whole visit to Brno, where we received a truly heartfelt welcome. And, unlike in Scotland, the weather was beautiful,” joked the Mayor of Edinburgh.
The Scottish visit to Brno will be followed by a visit from Brno to Edinburgh. The Filharmonie Brno is preparing a concert there as part of its British tour. “We are returning to Usher Hall after three years. On Sunday, October 19, we will play Janáček, Gershwin, Brubeck, and Dvořák,” said Marie Kučerová, director of the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, adding that the ties between Brno and Great Britain are truly deep. “On that very day, the renowned Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment will perform at our festival. It’s incredible how everything has come together,” she noted.