Time 19:00
The Witold Lutosławski Studio of Polish Radio in Warsaw, Modzelewskiego 59
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It is a well-known fact that the invitation to England which Joseph Haydn received in 1791 resulted in a series of magnificent symphonies that we now refer to as the “London” symphonies. Yet this was not the only artistic outcome of the composer’s journey to the British Isles. The eldest of the Viennese classics also had the opportunity to take part in celebrations in honor of George Frideric Handel. The monumental oratorios of the Baroque master, performed at Westminster Abbey, captivated and inspired Haydn to write his own work in the spirit (though certainly not in the style) of the creator of Messiah. Thus was born the idea of Die Schöpfung (The Creation), whose libretto – based on biblical motifs and John Milton’s Paradise Lost – was prepared in German by Baron Gottfried van Swieten.
Following the model of Handel’s oratorios, Haydn’s composition consists of three parts. The first two tell the story of the act of creation, while the last portrays the blissful life of Adam and Eve in Paradise. The vivid and highly expressive text finds its counterpart in the music, on which the composer worked for eighteen long months, from 1796 to 1798. The effort was well rewarded. The first public performance, held in March 1799, proved to be a great success. The audience gathered at Vienna’s Burgtheater enthusiastically applauded each section – from the brilliantly depicted chaos that opens the work and from which light emerges in an electrifying way, through the enchanting vocal and instrumental portrayals of natural phenomena and sounds, to the final double fugue. The directness of expression, the superb construction, and the impressive vocal and orchestral writing continue to inspire performers and captivate listeners to this day, as evidenced by the many recordings and the enduring popularity of concert performances of this extraordinary piece.
PROGRAM
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Oratorio Die Schöpfung (The Creation) Hob.XXI:2
PERFORMERS
OLGA PASIECZNIK SOPRANO
SYLWESTER SMULCZYŃSKI TENOR
WOJTEK GIERLACH BASS
THE CHORUS OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA
THE CHAMBER CHOIR OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA
THE ORCHESTRA OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA
KAROL KNAPIŃSKI CHORUS MUASTER
RENATA SZCZYPIOR CHAMBER CHOIR MASTER
PRZEMYSŁAW FIUGAJSKI CONDUCTOR
Duration: approx. 1 h 50 mins
Patron of the Polish Royal Opera
Patron of Opera on Tour
