2012-07-27

Although this is the height of the holiday season, it is fully worth seeing what attractions are coming in September with the Warsaw Autumn, Wratislavia Cantans and Sacrum Profanum music festivals. The festivals will take place on the following dates:

Wratislavia Cantans 1–9.09.2012 (Wrocław)
Sacrum Profanum 9-15.09.2012 (Kraków)
Warszawska Jesień (Warsaw Autumn) 21-29.09.2012 (Warsaw)

Here are the ideas behind this year's editions, as presented by the organisers on their websites:
“So therefore Bach is the end. Nothing comes from him, everything leads to him" wrote Albert Schweitzer, the famous biographer of the Leipzig cantor. Johann Sebastian’s music is the horizon to which the program of this year's International Festival Wratislavia Cantans will lead. During the first two weekends in September we will hear the work of several eras - from the sixteenth to the twentieth century. Almost all take perhaps the most important and most inspiring theme in the history of music, the passion and death of Christ. From the intimate contemplation of Joseph Haydn’s Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross in a version for string quartet to the the monumental lament in Antonín Dvořák's Stabat Mater, from Orlando di Lasso’s bitter tears of St. Peter to the great musical fresco - the Way of the Cross by Paweł Łukaszewski.

55th International Contemporary Music Festival Warsaw Autumn: „Warsaw Autumn….with a voice”. That slogan alludes to music that uses text, stage action, and meaning. In other words, opera? Opera too, but as a special case. This year’s festival will often feature an implicit text; a stage action that is merely suggested; an ambiguous meaning. Voice – in the sense of voicing one’s opinion, only then followed by voice as singing.

Sacrum Profanum 2012 includes works by the best Polish composers of the younger and middle generation: Paweł Mykietyn, Agata Zubel, Cezary Duchnowski, Aleksander Nowak, Marcin Stańczyk and Sławomir Kupczak interpreted by excellent European and American ensembles specialising in contemporary music: Ensemble Modern, Klangforum Wien, Cikada Ensemble, Ensemble musikFabrik, Alarm Will Sound, Bang on a Can All-Stars. As part of the classical part of the Sacrum Profanum festival there are surprising musical events. We remind you that the 10th anniversary edition of the festival - which is considered one of the most important musical events in the world - will be entirely devoted to Polish music.

At the festivals there will be no lack of pieces published by PWM:
Wratislavia Cantans:
05.09.2012 - Paweł Łukaszewski – „Via Crucis”
perf. Symphony Orchestra of the Wrocław Philharmonic, cond. Stephen Layton
Wrocław, Katedra Polskokatolicka św. Marii Magdaleny

Sacrum Profanum:
09.09.2012 – Paweł Mykietyn – „Król Lear” perf. Matteo de Monti (Król Lear), Katarzyna Moś (Kordelia), Julieta Gonzalez (Goneryla), Beatriz Blanco (Regana), Ensemble Modern, cond. Marek Moś
Kraków, Teatr Łaźnia Nowa
10.09.2012 – Aleksander Nowak – “Dark Haired Girl in a Black Sports Car”,” Hit 2”, “Night Transit” Alarm Will Sound, cond. Alan Pierson
Kraków, Teatr Łaźnia Nowa
13.09.2013 – Agata Zubel – “Labyrinth”, “Shades of Ice”, “The Streets of Human City”, “Not I”, perf. Agata Zubel, Klangforum Wien
Kraków, Teatr Łaźnia Nowa

Warsaw Autumn:
27.09.2012 – Witold Szalonek – „Musica concertante for double bass and orchestra” perf. Sympnhony Orchestra of the National Philharmonic, Łukasz Owczynnikow (double bass), cond. Rafał Janiak
Warsaw, National Philharmonic