International conductors and ensembles invited to perform alongsdie the most recognised Polish ensembles at this year's edition include Ola Rudner with Württembergische Philharmonie, Okko Kamu with Lahti Symphonic Orchestra, John Axelrod with Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, Rolf Beck with the Elbipolis Barockorchester Hamburg and the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Choir, Marek Janowski with Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin, "Dumka" National Academic Choir of Ukraine.
The Festival opened with the performance of Warsaw Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and Choir under Antoni Wit, the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra performing under Giancarlo Guerrero (music director of Nashville Symphony) and Hubert Soudant (music director of Tokyo Symphony Orchestra), Sinfonia Varsovia led by Krzysztof Penderecki and the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra conducted by Andrzej Kosendiak as well as Sinfonietta Cracovia, Kraków Philharmonic Choir, Wrocław Philharmonic Choir and the Wrocław Philharmonic Boys' Choir, Choir of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic, Polish Radio Choir and Warsaw Boys' Choir.
Featured artists include: pianists Rudolf Buchbinder, Krzysztof Jabłoński, Muza Rubackyte, violinist Viviane Hagner, cellist Danjulo Ishizaka, flutist Massimo Mercelli and vocalists: Ekaterina Semenchuk, Camilla Tilling, Petra Lang, Christine Oelze, Michaela Kaune, Annely Peebo, Serena Benedetti, Neely Miricioiu, Brigitte Fournier, Tove Dahlberg, Iwona Hossa, Agata Zubel, Katia Bray, Thomas Bauer, Tomasz Konieczny, Rafał Bartmiński, Eric Stoklosa, Günter Papendell, Tomas Selc, Nicholas Mulroy, Hakan Vramsmo, William Berger.
The programme of this year's Beethoven Festival is built around the theme "Beethoven and Eternal Femininity". In a varied and attractive set of concerts, beside the works of Ludwig van Beethoven, patron of the Festival, two anniversaries celebrated in the music world have been highlighted: 200th birth anniversary of Ferenc Liszt and 100th death anniversary of Gustav Mahler. There will be performances of some of their more popular works like Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection' (conducted by Antoni Wit) and his cycle of songs with orchestra Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Annely Peebo and conductor Ola Rudner), or Liszt's Faust Symphony (conducted by Hubert Soudant), as well as works seldom performed in Poland: a collection of Mahler's songs Des Knaben Wunderhorn (soloist Christine Oelze) and Liszt's Symphonic Poem Hamlet (John Axelrod).
Moreover, the programme features works by W.A. Mozart (Great Mass in C minor conducted by Jerzy Semkow), Richard Wagner (Wesendonck-Lieder and Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde performed by Petra Lang and conducted by Marek Janowski), Richard Strauss (Songs with Orchestra, Salome's Dance of the Seven Veils, performed by Camilla Tilling and Giancarlo Guerrero), Johannes Brahms (Double Concerto - Viviane Hagner, Danjulo Ishizaka and John Axelrod), Anton Dvorak (Symphony No. 9 From the New World), Jean Sibelius (Symphony No.5 and Casazionne), Sergey Prokofiev (Piano Concerto No. 3 with Krzysztof Jabłoński as soloist), Igor Stravinsky (The Rite of Spring).
Six chamber concerts featured the world-famous Fine Arts Quartet, with the violist Danilo Rossi (the ensemble will perform quartets of Mozart, Beethoven and Bruckner), American soprano Serena Benedetti, accompanied by the pianist JJ Penna (in a recital of songs by Richard Strauss), Italian flutist Massimo Mercelli with the pianist Bruno Canino (performing Beethoven's National Airs with Variations). Famous pianists will appear with recitals: Muza Rubackyte (with works of Ferenc Liszt) and Rudolf Buchbinder (two recitals closing the cycle of Beethoven's Complete Piano Sonatas). Rudolf Buchbinder will also be the author of a special event of the Festival: during one evening he will perform all Beethoven's piano concertos conducting the Sinfonietta Cracovia Orchestra from the piano.
The "Unknown Operas" series produced in the last three editions of the Festival was continued this year with the concert version of Gaetano Donizetti's Maria Padilla. Like in previous years the opera will be led by Łukasz Borowicz, conducting the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Polish Radio Choir and the Choir of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic. The title part will be sung by Nelly Miricioiu, accompanied by young American vocalists prepared by professor Doris Yarick-Cross (the performance is produced in collaboration with Yale School of Music, Voice and Opera Departament).
This year the festival also presents two master courses (by the Fine Arts Quartet and Danilo Rossi), two exhibitions (musical manuscripts exhibition at the Jagiellonian Library and the exposition "Stories of the Ear" at the Zachęta Gallery) as well as the 15th International Musicological Symposium organized by professor Mieczysław Tomaszewski.
Collaboration with the most outstanding Polish painters of the young generation, a project carried out by Andrzej Giza, director of the Association, has continued this year. In the previous years among the authors of the Festival's graphic design were such artist as: Wilhelm Sasnal, Twożywo group, Bartek Materka, Marcin Maciejowski. The author of this year's, 15th Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival poster is Jakub Julian Ziółkowski.
On April 19, just before Rudolf Buchbinder's recital of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas (Sonata in E Major, Op. 109, Sonata in A flat major, Op. 110, Sonata C minor, Op. 111), the Austrian pianist was awarded the Gloria Artis Medal for contribution to the arts. That evening Elżbieta Penderecka, director of the Beethoven Easter Festival, was also honoured with the distinction.
At the ceremony at Warsaw's Royal Castle, Minister Zdrojewski said "The Chopin Year recently came to a close, but we know we have to respect the whole of music (...) It's important for this respect to be expressed at a certain level (Rudolf Buchbinder) has done this many times".
Elżbieta Penderecka was honoured for "many years of work, not jut on behalf of the Ludwig van Beethoven Festival, but for her part in the greatest musical events".
The 11th Beethoven Festival closes with Sinfornia Varsovia performing under the baton of its artistic director, Professor Krzysztof Penderecki. The main piece of the evening is one of Penderecki's most recognised works - Passio et Mors Domini Nostri Jesu Christi secundum Lucam, written for German Radio on the occasion of the 700th Anniversary of Münster Cathedral in 1965. The concert takes place at the National Philharmonic at April 22 at 19:30, also featuring the National Philharmonic Choir, the Podlaskie Philharmonic Choir in Białystok, the Ukrainian National Choir and the Warsaw Boys choir. Featured soloists: Iwona Hossa (soprano), Thomas Bauer (baritone), Tomasz Konieczny (bass), Krzysztof Gosztyła (recitation). Penderecki's Passion is a piece dedicated to his wife, Elżbieta Penderecka.
The 15th Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival runs from April 9 through April 22, 2011.
www.beethoven.org.pl.
>Source: www.beethoven.org.pl