What-or rather, who-connects hot Spain with ballet? The answer can only be one: Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) and his extraordinary ballet suite, The Three-Cornered Hat. The work was created for the famous Ballets Russes of Diaghilev. Pablo Picasso himself prepared the set design for the performance, and Léonide Massine developed the choreography. The piece's premiere occurred in London in 1919 and was one of the greatest ballet triumphs of the 20th century.
Today, The Three-Cornered Hat is not only one of de Falla's most famous works but also a favourite of most music lovers worldwide. And with this hot Spanish accent, we will conclude our concert. But what pieces will be heard before?
We will hear the excellent Overture to Candide written by Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) for the operetta of the same title. Candide premiered in 1955 and resulted from a collaboration between Bernstein and playwright Lillian Hellman. Although Candide achieved moderate success, its overture has permanently entered the repertoire of most symphony orchestras worldwide. It is a tribute to a life full of passion, emotion, enthusiasm, and vitality. And it requires extraordinary speed and precision from the musicians.
But the real hero of this evening will be Janusz Stalmierski (born 1959) and his Phases of Eolus: Concerto for Harp and Orchestra, Strings, and Flutes. Stalmierski is a composer from Szczecin whose extraordinary work we try to introduce to our music enthusiasts. The vast creative output of this remarkable composer includes, among others, a great cantata-oratorio, concertos for solo instruments (including a clarinet concerto premiered in our Golden Hall last season), and symphonies. The piece will be performed for you by Barbara Stalmierska – the harpist of the Szczecin Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and the composer's wife. Overseeing the entire performance will be maestro Jakub Chrenowicz – former assistant to Antoni Wit at the National Philharmonic, winner of the Jan Kiepura Music Award in the Best Conductor category, who has performed with soloists such as Alexander Gavrylyuk, Daniil Trifonov, and Julianna Avdeeva.
Suite No. 2 from The Three-Cornered Hat by de Falla performed by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y Léon conducted by Thierry Fischer:
