The first MUSIC FESTIVAL IN LANCUT - initially called the CHAMBER MUSIC DAYS was organized in 1961 at the initiative of Janusz Ambros, the Director of the State Philharmonic in Rzeszów. For twenty years, it took place annually in May and since 1964 it has been an international event. Such renown chamber orchestras and ensembles as the Madrigalists from Bratislava, the Warsaw Chamber Opera ensemble, the Bulgarian quintet Dimo Dimova (which performed the pre-performance of VIOLIN CONCERTO No.7 by
Grazyna Bacewicz in the composer's presence) or the Fistulatores et Tubicinatores Varsoviensis ensemble have performed at the festival. In 1968, the festival program also included Baroque organ concerts at the Basilica of the Order of the Bernardine Fathers in Lezajsk. The last edition of the CHAMBER MUSIC DAYS took place in 1980.
The following year Boguslaw Kaczynski became the artistic director of the event. He changed the name of the festival to LANCUT MUSIC FESTIVAL and expanded the canon of the program. Polish Television S.A. became the co-organizer of the event and recorded the majority of concerts. During the festivals for the next 10 years, vocal recitals of famous singers (among them Seta del Grande, Katia Ricciarelli, Stefania Toczyska, Krystyna Szostek-Radkowa), piano and violin recitals (among them Bella Dawidowicz, Garrick Ohlsson, Grigorij Zyslin, Kuba Jakowicz) and concerts conducted by
Jerzy Maksymiuk, Wojciech Rajski and Karol Teutsch were performed. Additionally, great vocal-instrumental forms were performed and included: Ludwig van Beethoven's IX SYMPHONY,
Krzysztof Penderecki's POLISH REQUIEM, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's REQUIEM and the REQUIEM by Giuseppe Verdi.
In 1991, after Boguslaw Kaczynski resigned from the post as artistic director, the Rzeszów Philharmonic continued to organize the event under the MUSIC FESTIVAL IN LANCUT name and tied into the initial CHAMBER MUSIC DAYS. To date, such outstanding ensembles as Academy of St. Martin in the Fields,
SINFONIA VARSOVIA, Concerto Avenna, SLASK QUARTET,
"AMADEUS" ORCHESTRA or The King's Singers appeared during the May festival concerts. Concerts with the participation of great masters such as Paul Esswood, Renata Scotto, Wanda Wilkomirska, Emma Kirkby, Wieslaw Ochman, Grigorij Sokolow, Waldemar Malicki,
Adam Makowicz, Stefania Toczyska, Teresa Zylis-Gara, Ewa Podles and Gheorghe Zamfir were also held. There was also a return to the concept of organ recitals at the Lezajsk Basilica.
Adam Natanek was the artistic director of the festival from 1992-1998. Since 1999, that role is played by Tadeusz Wojciechowski. The festival is the founder of a commemorative plaque dedicated to Teodor Leszetycki, the composer, pianist and pedagogue born in Lancut. The plague was embeded into the building of the School of Music named after him.
Polish Music Information Center
Polish Composers' Union
January 2002
ul. Zamkowa 1
37-100 Łańcut
Phone: (+48 17) 862 85 07
Phone/Fax: (+48 17) 862 23 33