Following the final four more performances of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte at the Royal Opera House on 7, 12, 14 and 17 October, Semyon Bychkov launches his Beloved Friend: Tchaikovsky Project with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. With performances taking place on 1924 and 28 October, the programme includes Tchaikovsky’s Manfred and Pathétique Symphonies; Piano Concerto Nos. 2 and 3 with soloist Kirill Gerstein; as well as Serenade for Strings and Francesca da Rimini. The Festival at the Barbican coincides with the release of Maestro Bychkov’s first release with the Czech Philharmonic for Decca Classics on Friday 14 October.

In between these performances in London, Bychkov will conduct the Czech Philharmonic in Dvorak’s New World Symphony to commemorate the 80th birthday of the late Vaclav Havel at the Rudolfinum in Prague on Wednesday 5 October.