Oh, Joy! Inauguration of The Sinfonia Varsovia To Its City Festival

The title of the festival’s inaugural event encourages people to give in to happy feelings. Why? On the one hand, Warsaw’s Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra continues its 40th anniversary concert series, and on the other hand, the unique coincidence of as many as three anniversaries in late April and early May is another cause for celebration. It is worth recalling that the new orchestral ensemble under the baton of Yehudi Menuhin was formed in the last days of April 1984. May 7, in turn, marks the bicentennial of the premiere of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, one of the most important works in the history of music, whose final movement Ode to Joy draws an innovative democratic project. Finally, May 1 marks the 20th anniversary of Poland’s accession to the European Union.

Beethoven’s call for democratic values – freedom, equality and fraternity – resonated strongly with the founders of a united Europe, who, like the composer, had experienced the horrors of war. Even today, this message does not lose its relevance. The melody of the Ode to Joy has been the official anthem of the European community since 1985.

Sinfonia Varsovia will share the joy of celebrating together with the residents of 'its City'. The artists will be accompanied on stage by the Warsaw Civic Choir, formed for the occasion from the citizens and residents of Warsaw, and the audience will be encouraged to sing the Ode to Joy together at the beginning of the evening.

PROGRAMME

Ludwig van Beethoven

Symphony No. 9 in D minor Op. 125

I. Allegro ma non troppo; un poco maestoso
II. Molto vivace
III. Adagio molto e cantabile
IV. Presto – Allegro assai – Allegro assai vivace

PERFORMERS

Iwona Sobotka soprano
Agnieszka Rehlis mezzo-soprano
Tadeusz Szlenkier tenor
Tomasz Konieczny bass

Warszawski Chór Obywatelski
Chór Filharmonii Narodowej

Sinfonia Varsovia
Henrik Nánási conductor
Bartosz Michałowski chorus master
Daniel Mieczkowski assistant, conductor-in-residence

Honorary patron

Financial support

Partly financed by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage's Fund for the Promotion of Culture as part of the Music Programme managed by the National Institute of Music and Dance in Warsaw

Held in association with the National Institute of Music and Dance in Warsaw as part of the Conductor-in-Residence Progreamme financed by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage