The Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival takes place annually in the Polish capital in the run-up to Easter.
First held in 1997 and originally based in Krakow, the festival is the brainchild of Elzbieta Penderecka, wife of Krzysztof Penderecki, the great Polish composer who died in 2020. In 2004 the festival moved to Warsaw and since then is held at the capital's Philharmonic Hall.
This year's theme, "Beethoven and Philosophers," delves into the influence of philosophy on music, coinciding with the 300th anniversary of the birth of Immanuel Kant.
The inaugural concert at the Warsaw Philharmonic saw the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra under Jacek Kaspszyk, accompanied by renowned violinist Arabella Steinbacher, perform Beethoven's Consecration of the House Overture and Violin Concerto in D major Op. 61, as well as Richard Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra Tone Poem Op. 30.
While Beethoven is the event’s key focus, the festival also highlights the work of other great composers.
Radio Poland's Agnieszka Bielawska has more.
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