The 16th edition of the "Chopin and his Europe" International Music Festival will run from 15 August to 1 September 2020. Apart from Polish music, this year's programme will present works by Ludwig van Beethoven in masterful interpretations as part of the celebration of the composer's 250th birth anniversary. Most concerts will be available on YouTube and social media of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute.
Despite these difficult times, which pose major challenges to all and sundry, we invite you once again to take part in the celebration of music that is the “Chopin and His Europe” Festival. Nearly 30 concerts will be held this year. Most will be solo recitals by great masters of piano playing, both on contemporary and historical instruments. We will listen to a number of pianists associated with the Chopin Competition, including two of its winners – Yulianna Avdeeva and Kevin Kenner. World-renowned orchestras and chamber ensembles will present 10 concerts, featuring, among others, Karol Szymanowski's Myths, and Krzysztof Penderecki's String Quartet No. 3. Beethoven's string quartets will be performed during four evenings by the Belcea Quartet. In addition to vocal recitals by outstanding soloists, a special gem for music lovers will be a concert performance of Stanisław Moniuszko’s The Countess, the first on period instruments. The work will be conducted by Fabio Biondi, with an international group of soloists, Europa Galante and the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Choir.
A large portion of the festival concerts will be streamed free of charge on the Chopin Institute’s YouTube channel and on its social media page. Selected concerts will also be broadcast by Polish Radio. Nonetheless, the organisers invite you to experience the concerts in person, in the concert hall, where all safety rules are followed (limited number of seats, the obligation to cover your nose and mouth and disinfect your hands).
Tickets for festival concerts scheduled for 15 to 23 August are currently available online at www.bilety.nifc.pl and at the ticket offices of the Chopin Museum in Warsaw (11 a.m.– 7 p.m., Tuesday thru Sunday). Ticket sales for concerts planned for 24–31 August will begin on 14 August.
Full programme is available at: https://festiwal.nifc.pl/pl