Lutosławski | Bartók
Concert held under the honorary patronage of the Embassy of Hungary and the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Centre.
Witold Lutosławski’s Cello Concerto (1969–1970) was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society and the Gulbenkian Foundation, and is dedicated to Mstislav Rostropovich, whose playing style was a direct source of inspiration for the composer. It was first performed in London in 1970, conducted by Edward Downes. The one-movement form is divided into four sections based on the conflict between the soloist and the orchestra: a solo cello introduction, dialoguing episodes, a lyrical cantilena and a dynamic finale. The solo part will be performed by Tomasz Strahl, a leading Polish cellist and rector of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music. Bluebeard’s Castle, Béla Bartók’s only opera (premiered in 1918), is a one-act symbolic drama based on a libretto by Béla Balázs, adapted from Perrault’s fairy tale, which explores the themes of loneliness and the impossibility of truly understanding another person. This intimate drama centres on Judith, who demands that the seven doors of her husband’s castle be opened and discovers the truth about his previous wives. The solo parts will be performed by acclaimed Hungarian singers: Dorottya Láng (Judith), a highly regarded performer in this role, and András Palerdi (Bluebeard), a bass and soloist with the Hungarian State Opera. The concert will be conducted by Wojciech Rodek, director of the Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra.
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