The Polish Radio Orchestra inaugurated, on Sunday ,the Festival of Stanisław Moniuszko’s Sacral Music in Warsaw.
The planned six concerts are to feature 30 religious pieces by Moniuszko: masses, litanies, cantatas and choir pieces. The inaugural concert saw the Latin Mass in D flat major, Requiem Aeternam - Cantata religiosa and Ecce lignum crucis.
The Polish Radio Orchestra is led by its artistic director Michal Klauza, among the soloists are Maria Rozynek-Banaszak - soprano, Roksana Wardenga - mezzosoprano, Andrzej Lampert - tenor, Tomasz Rak - baritone, Jarosław Bręk bass-baritone , accompanied by the National Philharmonic Choir.
The festival is organized by the Moniuszko Music Lovers’ Society as part of the celebrations of the 200th birth anniversary of the great composer.
2019 is being celebrated by the musical community as the year of Stanisław Moniuszko, the father of Polish national opera, who was born 200 years ago in present-day Belarus.
The composer’s vast output includes operas : Halka ,The Haunted Manor, The Countess, The Raftsman, numerous songs, orchestral compositions and religious works.
SOURCE IAR