During the 2020/2021 season, František Macek debuted at the prestigious Prague Spring Festival with Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, presenting the music of Dvořák, Schumann, Sibelius and Lutosławski. He also appeared with the Czech Chamber Philharmonic, Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier, Slovak Chamber Orchestra, and Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava.
In addition to the orchestras cited above, František Macek has been working with numerous other orchestras, among which are: Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic, Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Norrköping Symfoniorkester, Orchestre National de Lille, Gävle Symfoniorkester, and Nederlands Symfonieorkest.
Furthermore, František Macek has developed a deep knowledge and interest in opera. In 2016, he debuted as opera conductor with Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen in NorrlandsOperan Umeå. Since then he conducted Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Gluck’s Iphigénie en Aulide and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. Passionate about Mozart’s music, he conducted Die Entführung aus dem Serail in Aspen as well as Così fan tutte in Stockholm. As assistant conductor, he was engaged for the production of Janáček’s Jenůfa at the Dutch National Opera Amsterdam. He is now invited to assist for the production of Janáček’s Káťa Kabanová at the 2022 Salzburg Festival.
Mr. Macek comes from a musical family of organists and choral conductors. His father, František Macek, Sr., has rendered a major contribution to the revival of the domestic liturgical music tradition in the Czech Republic. Following in his footsteps, František Jr. studied organ at the conservatoire in Kroměříž, and early music at the Týn School Prague. He pursued his conducting studies at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague and at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, where he obtained his Master’s degrees. Identified as a conductor of great musical talent, he was supported by the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and the Anders Sandrews Foundation.
František Macek perfected his conducting skills during masterclasses in the United States and Europe with maestros Manfred Honeck, David Zinman, Bernard Haitink, Robert Spano and Daniele Gatti.
Representation by Ars Operae in Poland
photo: Daniel Havel