The Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra has honoured their patron, Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, to mark her 35th birthday.
The performance that launched the 2022 season opened with a unique arrangement of Happy Birthday. The evening included multiple pieces composed by Debussy, as well as the infamous piano piece, “Piano Concerto For The Left Hand.” It was held at the Thailand Cultural Centre.
As a surprise, the RBSO collaborated with the Bangkok City Ballet for a performance of Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 2,” the first of a series of joint performances throughout the year.
The RBSO was founded in 1982 under Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn as the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and was renamed the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra in 2016. In November 2019, the RBSO performed the Four Royal Orchestral Suites to celebrate the Auspicious Occasion of the Coronation Ceremony 2019 for the King.
The Bangkok City Ballet was established in 1996 and is the only professional ballet company in Thailand.
King Rama X, her father, made Princess Sirivannavari the royal patron of the RBSO in April 2018. She takes an active role as royal patron, serving as Chairperson of the Artistic Committee.
Sirivannavari is an incredibly accomplished woman. Under famed couturier Pierre Balmain, she released her Presence of the Past collection in 2007, her debut design collection. She is a regular attendee of all of the major European fashion weeks. The 2018 Miss Universe Thailand contestant wore one of her designs for the competition. The Princess continues to design under both the “Sirivannavari” and “S’Homme” labels, both of which notably use Thai silk.
In addition to her artistic pursuits, Sirivannavari is a talented athlete. She has competed as an equestrian rider at the 2013 and 2017 Southeast Asian Games.
She has also represented Thailand in Badminton, competing for the national team at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.
