Slovak Sinfonietta Zilina

The Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina played at such prestigious international venues as the Musikverein and Konzerthaus Vienna, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Philharmonic Halls in Berlin, Munich and Cologne, House of Artists Prague, Tonhalle Düsseldorf, Komische Oper and Konzerthaus Berlin, St. Francis’ Cathedral Assisi, Auditori Barcelona, Palau St. Jordi and Palau de la Musica Catalana Barcelona, Teatro Arriaga Bilbao, Symphony Hall Osaka, Tokyo’s Metropolitan Hall, Theatre de la Monnaie Brussels, Mozarteum Salzburg, Teatro Abadia and Palacio de Deportes Madrid, Tonhalle Zürich, Pavilhao Atlantico Lisbon, NCPA Beijing, Seoul Arts Center, Les Invalides and L´eglise de la Madeleine Paris, and the Great Concert Hall of the St. Peterburg Philharmonic among others.

Watch the Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina conducted by Oliver von Dohnanyi

Altogether the orchestra has given more than 3300 concerts in almost every country in Europe, Asia, Africa, Japan, China, Korea, Brasilia, Canada and the U.S.A. The Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina recorded more than 70 CDs.

Among the prominent artists who have performed with the orchestra are conductors Peter Maag, Marco Armiliato, Theodore Kuchar, Claus Peter Flor, Jean-Bernard Pommier, Nicholas Kraemer, Erik Zainermand, Alexander Schwinck, Misha Katz, Vladimír Válek, Petr Vronský, Ľudovít Rajter, Christian Benda, Dwight Bennett, Christian Pollack, Peter Breiner, Vladimír Kiradjiev, Ernst Märzendorfer, Martin Sieghardt, Stefan Lano, Janusz Powolny, Volker Schmidt Gertenbach, Georg Mais, Urs Schneider, Ondrej Lenárd, Francesco Angelico, Daniele Rustioni, Jiří Rožeň and soloists: Igor Oistrach, Narciso Yepes, André Gertler, Václav Hudeček, Sophia Jaffé, Baiba Skride, Dalibor Karvay, Liana Issakadze, Vanessa Mae, Marián Lapšanský, Eugen Indjic, Till Felner, Paul Badura Skoda, Timur Sergeyenia, Ludmil Angelov, Michael Kofler, Peter Dvorský, Sergej Kopčák, Vittorio Grigolo, Michél Senechal, Stefan Elenkov, Edita Grúberová, Vesselina Kasarova, Georg Tichy, Pavol Breslik, Otokar Klein, Peter Mikuláš, Gabriela Beňačková, Magdaléna Kožená, Ľuba Orgonášová, Magdaléna Hajossyová, Gustáv Beláček, Jana Kurucová, Adriana Kučerová, Pretty Yende, Izabela Labuda, Benno Schollum, Ildikó Raimondi, Olivia Stapp, David Miller, Sarah Joy Miller, Il Divo, and Il Volo.

Slovak Sinfonietta is a member of the Orchestra Network for Europe (ONE), a distinctive network of classical symphony orchestras initiated in 2004. Focusing on addressing the specific issues of the classical music sector, ONE has designed a cooperation project promoting intercultural dialogue and extending artistic reach across borders.

Fatra House of Arts

Ján Rufínus Stejskal, a native of Moravia living in Slovakia, built the Grand Bio Universum cinema and theater building between 1919 and 1921. Originally, there were two houses from the 17th century. The Art Nouveau building was designed by engineer Székely for a relatively long time due to several changes in plans. For example, at the request of the city, he had to retreat

Between 1983 and 1988, the Fatra cinema was renovated for the needs of the State Chamber Orchestra in Žilina. It was founded in 1974 from the original Symphony Orchestra of the city of Žilina (1959 – 1974). Unfortunately, during this reconstruction, they insensitively removed the original historical inscription on the upper facade of the “BIO UNIVERSUM” building. A building for the needs of the orchestra was added to the cinema, and in 1988 a concert organ from the Rieger-Kloss workshop in Krnov was built in the hall. The national artist Ján Cikker (1911 – 1989), who also has his own bust in the lobby on the ground floor, also contributed to the creation of the orchestra.

The Fatra House of Arts also hosts various social and cultural events. In 1997, the Žilina choir erected two memorial plaques on the front of the building, commemorating the premiere of the film Jánošík and the establishment of the State Chamber Orchestra. The House of Art is registered in the Central List of Monuments under number 13729/0.