Published: April 25, 2017| 03:14 PM

The 52nd Karlovy Vary International Festival continues the tradition of holding an opening concert for the general public. For the third year, we have decided to celebrate the start of the festival with the festival’s visitors and with the residents of our host city. After the popular performance by the Czech band Lucie at last year’s concert of film melodies, this year’s opening concert on 30 July 2017 will again feature a selection of film music.

At this year’s concert, the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of American conductor and composer Carl Davis, will present primarily music from famous James Bond movies. Carl Davis has composed the original score for numerous film and television projects, including The French Lieutenant’s Woman and Widows’ Peak, and collaborated with Paul McCartney on the famous Liverpool Oratorio.

Also appearing as a special guest is composer and this year’s recipient of the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema, James Newton Howard, who will conduct the world premiere performance of selected music from the recently completed sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

The Karlovy Vary IFF is holding the official opening concert in cooperation with the festival’s general partner, ČEZ Group. The partner of the opening concert is Unipetrol.

The concert begins at 10pm on June 30 on the stage in front of the Hotel Thermal. Admission is free.