Česky
Mike Oldfield’s legendary Tubular Bells I, II & III will be heard together for the first time at a unique concert in Prague
For more than half a century, the world has been fascinated by the unique musical phenomenon of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells. His music returns to Prague as part of a new European tour. After two sold-out concerts in 2024 and 2025, these legendary works return to the O2 universum, where the project The Best of Tubular Bells I, II & III will be performed on Sunday, September 13, 2026.
Oldfield’s first album Tubular Bells I, which he began composing at the age of just seventeen and released in 1973, became a worldwide sensation and is still the best-selling instrumental album of all time. Its iconic motif, also known from the cult film The Exorcist, has become a symbol of musical originality and timelessness. It was followed by Tubular Bells II (1992), whose grand premiere at Edinburgh Castle is one of the most watched musical events of the late 20th century, and six years later Tubular Bells III (1998), where Oldfield combined his work with new electronic inspirations that he experienced in Ibiza, where he had moved at the time.
The third Prague concert, held as part of the expanded grand celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of the first release of Tubular Bells, will be part of a new European tour in 2026.
The conductor and artistic director of the project is Oldfield’s long-time close friend and collaborator Robin A. Smith – a conductor, composer and keyboardist who has collaborated with Oldfield for more than three decades. Together they have presented various performances of Tubular Bells at iconic venues such as Edinburgh Castle, Horse Guards Parade and in 2021 at the opening of the London Olympics.
Under the direction of Robin A. Smith, the Prague audience will be introduced to music that has made an indelible mark on history. The Best of Tubular Bells I, II & III will offer a cross-section of three decades of Oldfield’s work in a single concert. The combination of iconic melodies, virtuoso performance by a great orchestra, whose players Oldfield personally selected, and a strong emotional charge promises an exceptional experience that Prague will not forget.