Famous soprano arias from the second half of the nineteenth century, mostly by Italian composers, are juxtaposed with instrumental excerpts from operas and symphonic works by composers from Central and Eastern Europe. They share numerous features – not only the rich musical language that is the hallmark of late Romanticism, but also themes that place love above all earthly concerns: it is for love that one is willing to suffer and die; it is love that gives life meaning.

PROGRAMME

Roman Statkowski (1859–1925)
Overture to the opera Maria [9’]

Francesco Cilea (1866–1950)
Adriana’s aria ‘Io son l’umile ancella’ from Act I from the opera Adriana Lecouvreur [4’]

(1902)
words by Arturo Colautti (1851–1914)

Amilcare Ponchielli
Dance of the Hours from Act III from the opera Gioconda [10’]
Gioconda’s aria ‘Suicidio’ from Act IV from the opera Gioconda [5’]
words by Arrigo Boito (1842–1918)

Henryk Jarecki (1846–1918)
Introduction to Act III from the opera Mindaugas, King of Lithuania [4’]
(1879)

Umberto Giordano (1867–1948)
Maddalena’s aria ‘La mamma morta’ from Act III from the opera Andrea Chénier [5’]
words by Luigi Illica (1857–1919)

Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924)
Prelude and La Tregenda from Act II from the opera Le Villi [7’]

Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901)
Leonora’s aria ‘Pace, pace, mio Dio’ from Act IV from the opera La forza del destino [7’]
words by Francesco Maria Piave (1810–1876)

***

Zygmunt Noskowski (1846–1909)
Prelude to Act II from the opera Livia Quintilla [5’]

Alfredo Catalani (1854–1893)
Wally’s aria ‘Ebben? Ne andrò lontana’ from Act I from the opera La Wally [4’]
words by Luigi Illica

Zoltán Kodály (1882–1967)
Suite from the opera Háry János, mov. V Intermezzo[5’]

Richard Strauss (1864–1949)
‘Cäcilie’, No. 2 from the cycle Four Songs, op. 34 27 [3’]
version for orchestra
words by Heinrich Hart (1855–1906)

Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924)
Intermezzo to Act III from the opera Manon Lescaut [5’]
Aria Cio-Cio-San „Un bel dì, vedremo” z II aktu operyMadame Butterfly[4’]
words by Luigi Illica, Giuseppe Giacosa (1847–1906)

Leoš Janáček (1854–1928)
Starodávný I, No. 1 from the cycle Lachian Dances / Lašské tance [7’]

Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904)
Rusalka’s song ‘Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém’ from Act I from the opera Rusalka [7’]
words by Jaroslav Kvapil (1868–1950)

PERFORMERS

Orchestra of the Grand Theatre in Łódź

Rafał Kłoczko– dyrygent

Kristine Opolais– sopran

The event is organized by the National Center for Culture. Partner of the event is the Grand Theater in Łódź.
Ticket salesare handled byby the Grand Theater in Łódź.

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