The Krzysztof Penderecki Festival will take place in Warsaw from 21-26 November 2023. The concerts at the National Philharmonic will feature primarily the music of the festival’s Patron, but also other outstanding composers: Witold Lutosławski, Valentin Sylvester, Henryk Mikołaj Górecki.
On 23 November, the National Philharmonic Orchestra will play under the direction of Andrzej Boreyka. The soloist will be one of the most outstanding violinists, Anne-Sophie Mutter, who will perform the Second Violin Concerto ‘Metamorphoses’, dedicated to her.
The day before, on 22 November, the DAFO String Quartet, Michel Lethiec, Leticia Moreno, Aleksandra Kuls, Arto Noras, Claudio Bohórquez, Jurek Dybal and Łukasz Krupiński will perform in the Chamber Hall.
During the final concert of the festival, held at the National Philharmonic, on 24 November, the Concert Hall will host the Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir under the baton of Alexander Humala and soloists Iwona Hossa, Justyna Khil, Anna Lubańska, Rafał Bartmiński and Wojtek Gierlach. Henryk Mikołaj Górecki’s Symphony No. 3 ‘Symphony of Sorrowful Songs’ and Krzysztof Penderecki’s Te Deum will be performed.
Krzysztof Penderecki, who died in 2020, was one of Poland’s most prominent composers, conductors, and music educators.
He composed four operas, eight symphonies and a number of other orchestral works, instrumental concertos, choral settings of mainly religious texts, as well as chamber and instrumental works. His most recognised works include: To the Victims of Hiroshima – Threnody, St Luke’s Passion, Polish Requiem and Symphony No. 3.
His music has been used by film makers. Penderecki’s works have been featured in films: “The Exorcist” by William Friedkin, “The Shining” by Stanley Kubrick, “Wild at Heart” by David Lynch, “Human Children” by Alfonso Cuarón, “Katyn” by Andrzej Wajda and “Island of Secrets” by Martin Scorsese.
The Krzysztof Penderecki Festival is organised by the National Philharmonic Orchestra and the Ludwig van Beethoven Association.
Adrian Andrzejewski