This programme spans deep emotion and playful ingenuity, performed by the distinguished NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra under the direction of virtuoso violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky.

Grażyna Bacewicz’s Concerto for String Orchestra is a striking opener – its music shifting from fiercely propulsive to sublimely lyrical. A composer who deserves to be heard more often, Bacewicz brings a distinctive voice to 20th-century string repertoire. Richard Strauss’ Metamorphosen, composed amid the ruins of WWII, is steeped in grief and loss. In its long, intertwining lines, Strauss mourns a shattered world. 

In contrast, Wojciech Kilar’s symphonic work is inspired by the river Orawa which runs through the Polish mountains to the Slovakian border. 

Finally Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite bursts with theatrical flair. His reimagining of Georges Bizet’s opera – written for his ballerina wife – transforms its melodies into a thrilling ballet suite for strings and percussion.

Part of our Focus on Poland series featuring seven concerts celebrating Polish culture.

This concert will be recorded for broadcast by our partners BBC Radio 3. Find out more.

The NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra, resident at the National Forum of Music in Wrocław, takes centre stage as the flagship ensemble of our Focus on Poland series during their International Festival Residency.

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