The American Dream: Dvořák musically brings together the old world and the new.

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The success story of Antonín Dvořák - from simple butcher's son to mascot of artistic Bohemia - captivated the imagination in the land of The American Dream. In 1892 he arrived in America with his wife and two of his children, along with an invitation to come and bring a new sound to music in America. Dvořák hesitated at first, but accepted, left and triumphed.

The Ninth Symphony 'From the New World' was Dvořák's first work after his arrival in New York. The premiere was a great succes, and many heard in its melodies the years of immigration history of the Americas, and rightly so: Dvořák drew inspiration from negro spirituals of the African slaves and music of the indigenous people, but also used the folk music of the European immigrants. He thus subtly combined elements from both the 'old' and the 'new' worlds, creating a 'multinational' symphony.