VERDI | MERCADANTE | TCHAIKOVSKY
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16 October 2021, 7:00 p.m.
Witold Lutosławski Polish Radio Concert Studio, Warsaw
Performers
Łukasz Długosz | flute
Jerzy Semkow Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra
Mirosław Jacek Błaszczyk | conductor
Anna Sułkowska-Migoń | conductor’s assistant
Programme
Giuseppe Verdi – Overture to La forza del destino
Saverio Mercadante – Flute Concerto No. 2 in E minor, Op. 57
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Pyotr Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 6 in H Minor, Op. 74 “Pathetique”
Łukasz Długosz – photo Dorota Bodnar; Jacek Mirosław Błaszczyk – photo Artist’s archives
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Italian Saverio Mercadante, almost in the same generation as Rossini, was in his era a prominent creator of operas (he wrote over 60 of them!), associated mainly with Naples. His rich legacy is largely forgotten today with the exception of one work, the composer wrote at the age of 18 – Flute Concerto No. 2 in E minor, loved particularly for its closing Rondo russo, one of the greatest “hits” in classical music, performed readily by flutists as an encore. During the October concert, this work will be performed in its entirety by Łukasz Długosz, one of the most versatile and respected flutists of his generation. This artist is a frequent and successful performer with our orchestra, who always presents unique and outstanding pieces from the flute repertoire. Also within the Italian repertory is the overture to the opera La forza del destino (“The Force of Destiny”), a piece full of passionate emotion and beautiful melodies that recounts the romantic trials and tribulations of the Spanish nobleman Don Alvaro (the opera was also staged under this title) and his beloved Leonora. What does this work have in common with Tchaikovsky’s last symphony? Both works premiered in St. Petersburg (Verdi’s opera in 1862). At that time, Verdi did not win the hearts of Russian audiences, and he later subjected the work to many revisions.
Due to its expressive aura, Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, probably as no other symphony in the history of music, deserved the name “Tragique”, as Modest Tchaikovsky, the composer’s brother and confidant, suggested. Pyotr, however, preferred his second suggestion and right after the premiere, he added the subtitle “Pathetique”, suggested by his brother, to the score. The composer died nine days after the premiere of the piece, most probably due to an acute cholera attack. He did not leave any programme or commentary to the symphony, but his confidants, such as his brother Modest or nephew Vladimir Davydov, called Bob, whom the composer had a special connection with (the symphony is dedicated to him), suggested that such a programme might have existed in the form of a musical allegory of the author’s biography. All we can do is guess and, primarily, delight upon the piece characterised by great expression, the piece that is Romantic to the bone, filled with exaltation and unconventional elements.
The concert will be conducted by Mirosław Jacek Błaszczyk, a long-term director (1998–2018) of the Silesian Philharmonic, artistic director and juror of the Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition for Conductors in Katowice. He has cooperated with Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra for many years as an artistic director and is currently a member of its Arts Council. [pmac]
Concert is co-organized by the National Institute of Music and Dance within the framework of its own program „Conductor – resident” financed from the funds of Minister of Culture, National Heritage and Sport
During the event the rules determined in the Ordinance of the Council of Ministers related to the establishment of the certain limitations, injunctions and bans due to the conditions of epidemic will be in force as well as their update: Current rules and restrictions.
Declaration of the participant of the event due to the state of the epidemic SARS-COV-2.
Media patronage: TVP Kultura, Presto, polmic.pl
Organiser: Jerzy Semkow Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra
The organiser reserves the right to change the programme or the performers of the concert
Tickets: Polskie Radio – Bilety24, eBilet