MONIUSZKO 200

Afternoon, people are packed in a crowded train with all their families and some of their belongings which they were able to pack. After several hours of waiting, they set off from their hometown to the west. They still do not know that the place they are going to is a sea of ruins. In addition to the hardships of everyday life, they are to face the rebuilding of damaged buildings and streets. Suddenly, someone begins to chant a litany that has been recited daily at Ostra Brama. Where will they sing it now?

This is the real story of the "Litanies of Ostra Brama", which we do not have to look for in books or encyclopedias, but we can find at our grandmothers' and grandfathers' or in our own homes. Moniuszko wrote the four cantatas to frame the services in which our ancestors were still participating. Is the bicentennial of the composer's birth a mere celebration of music? Or maybe the feast of all to whom we owe our family traditions and our city as beautiful as it is today?

At our Philharmonic we will present a solemn performance of the four "Litanies of Ostra Brama" with the participation of great Polish soloists – among them Jadwiga Rappe. She is one of the most outstanding singers in Poland. The history of her stunning career includes performances at the Royal Albert Hall and Gewandhaus in Leipzig, cooperation with Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Jerzy Semkow as well as a huge repertoire and many premieres of Polish compositions specially dedicated to her.

We will also host the Boy’s and Men’s Choir of the Poznan Philharmonic ‘Poznan Nightingales’. The ensemble's tradition dates back to 1939 when Stefan Stuligrosz began his underground rehearsals with a handful of singers from the cathedral choir. From the very beginning, the ensemble's performances were a real manifestation of Polishness. Currently, their output includes dozens of recordings and several hundred concerts around the world.