Artiste: Essen Philharmonic Orchestra

Conductor Tomáš Netopil combines the best of two worlds at the Dvořákʼs Prague festival.

To launch its 2015-16 season, the Essen Philharmonic set a new work inspired by life’s transience against the infinities of Mahler.

Soloist Carolin Widmann was due to perform Clara Iannotta’s new violin concerto later this week – until Essen Philharmonic took a vote to effectively cancel the performance