The 16th edition of the “Chopin and his Europe” International Music Festival will run from 15 August to 1 September 2020 in Warsaw. Apart from Polish music, this year’s program will present works by Ludwig van Beethoven in masterful interpretations, as part of the celebration of the composer’s 250th birth anniversary.
Despite these difficult times, audiences are invited once again to take part in the celebration of music that is the “Chopin and His Europe” Festival. Nearly 30 concerts will be held this year. Most concerts will be available on the YouTube page and social media outlets of the organizers, the Fryderyk Chopin Institute.
Program & Performers
Many of the Festival events will be solo recitals by great masters of piano playing, both on contemporary and historical instruments. A number of pianists associated with the Chopin Competition will perform, including two of its winners—Yulianna Avdeeva and Kevin Kenner.
World-renowned orchestras and chamber ensembles will also present 10 concerts, featuring, among others, Karol Szymanowski‘s Myths, and Krzysztof Penderecki‘s String Quartet No. 3. Beethoven’s string quartets will be performed during four evenings by the Belcea Quartet.
In addition to vocal recitals by outstanding soloists, a special gem for music lovers will be a concert performance of Stanisław Moniuszko’s Hrabina [The Countess]—written in 1859, this will be the first modern presentation of this opera on period instruments. The work will be conducted by Fabio Biondi, with an international group of soloists, Europa Galante and the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Choir.
A full program of all concerts is available here: festiwal.nifc.pl.
Festival Logistics
A large portion of the festival concerts will be streamed free of charge on the Chopin Institute’s YouTube channel and on its social media pages. Selected concerts will also be broadcast by Polish Radio. Nonetheless, the organizers welcome audiences to experience the concerts in the concert hall, where all safety rules are followed (limited number of seats, the obligation to cover your nose and mouth and disinfect your hands).
Tickets for festival concerts scheduled for 15 to 23 August are currently available online at www.bilety.nifc.pl and at the ticket offices of the Chopin Museum in Warsaw (11 a.m.– 7 p.m., Tuesday thru Sunday). Ticket sales for concerts planned for 24–31 August will begin on 14 August.
15 August – 1 September 2020 | Various times
16th “Chopin and his Europe” International Music Festival
Warsaw Philharmonic Concert Hall & Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera, Moniuszko Hall
Warsaw, Poland
Tickets & Info: festiwal.nifc.pl
[Sources: polmic.pl, festiwal.nifc.pl]