Chopin and His Europe

So far, and yet so close … is the motto of the 17th edition of the Chopin and his Europe Music Festival to be held in Warsaw from 14 to 31 August. Besides presenting the works of Chopin himself, the festival will highlight his music’s more 'distant' relationships with the Polish baroque and its resonances in the work of 20th-century composers. The programme includes masterpieces by Pękiel, Lipiński, Wański, Gołąbek, Gesualdo, Bach, Zelenka, Beethoven, Berlioz, Rossini, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Liszt, as well as Szymanowski, Stravinsky – whose death 50th anniversary falls this year – Weinberg, and Koczalski. 

Highlights include the world premiere of Karol Kurpiński's reconstructed Clarinet Concerto performed by Lorenzo Coppoli and {oh!} Historical Orchestra and the first performance of Verbum nobile on period instruments, which comes at the heels of historically informed performances of other Moniuszko operas in the years past. The Polish masterpiece will be juxtaposed with Donizetti's Betly, which – like Verbum – will be performed by an international lineup of soloists, Europa Galante, and the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Choir under Fabio Biondi.

Also not to miss is a performance of Gesualda da Venosa’s Madrigals by the phenomenal Collegium Voale Gent under Philippe Herreweghe, a night with both of Chopin’s piano concertos interpreted by Nelson Goerner and the Orchestre des Champs-Elysees under the same conductor, Domenico Cimarosa’s Il maestro di capella sang by Tomasz Konieczny, and three very special chamber concerts respectively featuring: the winner of the Wieniawski Competition Alena Baeva and Vadym Kholodenko in a programme combining works by Grażyna Bacewicz, Witold Lutosławski and Mark Simpson’s pandemic piece, An Essay of Love; victor of the Chopin Competition Rafał Blechacz and Bomsori Kim; as well as the father-son duo of Christoph and Julian Prégardien.

Other artists to take the stage are Yulianna Avdeeva, Benjamin Gosvenor, Alexandre Tharaud, Jos van Immerseel, Isabelle Faust, the Belcea Quartet, and Sinfonia Varsovia.

Festival events to be held at the Teatr Wielki, Warsaw

14 August, 8 p.m.

Opening concert

PROGRAMME:

Stanisław MoniuszkoVerbum nobile

PERFORMERS:

Olga Pasiecznik – soprano
Artur Ruciński – baritone
Mariusz Godlewski – baritone
Adam Palka – bass
Jan Martiník – bass Fabio Biondi – conductor
Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Choir
Europa Galante

16 August, 8 p.m.

Symphony concert

PROGRAMME:

Igor Stravinsky Capriccio for piano and orchestra 

Karol Szymanowski Violin Concerto No. 1 Op. 35

Paul Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice: Symphonic Scherzo
Karol Szymanowski Sinfonia Concertante No. 4 Op. 60

PERFORMERS:

Alena Baeva – violin
Yulianna Avdeeva – piano
Vadym Kholodenko – piano

Robert Trevino – conductor
Sinfonia Varsovia

20 August, 8 p.m.

Opera in concert form

PROGRAMME:

Gaetano Donizetti Betly (performed for the first time on period instruments)

PERFORMERS:

Marie Lys – soprano
Francesco Marsiglia – tenor
Vittorio Prato – baritone

Fabio Biondi – conductor
Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Choir
Europa Galante

31 August, 6 p.m.

Symphony concert

PROGRAMME:

Gabriel FauréRequiem Op. 48
Johannes BrahmsBegräbnisgesang for mixed chorus and wind ensemble Op. 13
Igor StravinskyThe Symphony of Psalms

PERFORMERS:

Dorothee Mields – soprano
Krešimir Stražanac – baritone

Philippe Herreweghe – conductor
Collegium Vocale Gent
Orchestre des Champs-Élysées

FULL PROGRAMME

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