Polish piano virtuoso Rafał Blechacz, winner of the 15th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, returns to Vilnius. On February 21, the pianist will perform at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Concert Hall with the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra (LCO) conducted by Modestas Pitrėnas. This concert will mark the 30th anniversary of the Polish Institute in Vilnius. The programme will feature Fryderyk Chopin’s First piano concerto, works by Richard Strauss and Žibuoklė Martinaitytė. Pavel Giunter, one of Lithuania’s most famous percussionists, will join the LCO as a soloist in the latter opus.

The LCO conducted by Modestas Pitrėnas will share the stage with Polish piano virtuoso Rafał Blechacz, admired for his ability to masterfully reveal the entire range of expressive possibilities of the piano. The pianist’s path to fame was paved by his victory in the 15th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in 2005, which brought him not only the winner’s medal, but also four special prizes and the audience prize. 

After winning the Chopin Piano Competition, Blechacz established himself among the most illustrious musicians, performing in prestigious concert halls around the world with the most famous orchestras. He is recognized as one of the most prominent Chopin performers of his generation. The pianist collaborates exclusively with the Deutsche Grammophon record label. His debut album of Chopin’s 24 Preludes went platinum in Poland and won the German “ECHO Klassik” and French “Diapason d’Or” awards. His recordings of both Chopin concertos with the Concertgebouw Orchestra (conducted by Jerzy Semkow) were awarded the “Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik”. His latest album, featuring works by Chopin, was released in March 2023 and is dedicated to the composer who shaped his career.

For the festive evening in Vilnius, the pianist has also chosen Chopin, namely the First concerto for piano and orchestra in E minor, Op. 11 (version for string orchestra). Composed in 1830, this opus is characterized by maturity and emotional depth.

This evening is dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Polish Institute in Vilnius and marks the beginning of a jubilee year that will be filled with cultural and artistic events highlighting the importance of the Institute in perpetuating the dialogue between Poland and Lithuania. The Polish Institute in Vilnius was established on the basis of the Treaty on Friendly Relations and Good Neighbourly Cooperation between Poland and Lithuania and began its activities on 1 February 1996. The Institute pursues links between Polish and Lithuanian cultures, most of which are found in a historical context.

Tonight, conductor Pitrėnas and the LCO will also offer New York-based composer Žibuoklė Martinaitytė’s opus Nunc fluens. Nunc stans and Richard Strauss’ Metamorphosen (Metamorphoses). Martinaitytė composed Nunc fluens. Nunc stans for percussion and string orchestra in 2020. The title comes from Boethius’ Latin phrase ‘Nunc fluens facit tempus. Nunc stans facit aeternitatum,’ which translates into English as ‘The now, that passes produces time. The now that remains produces eternity.’ It is a diptych, the two movements of which are performed without interruption, the first reflecting flowing time and the second the time that has stopped. The percussion part will be performed by the nonpareil percussionist Pavel Giunter. The concert will conclude with Strauss’ elegiac poem Metamorphosen (Metamorphoses) for 23 string instruments, written in Vienna in the final weeks of World War II.

Concert Piano Virtuoso Rafał Blechacz and the LCO led by Modestas Pitrėnas will take place on Saturday, February 21 at 19.00 in the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Concert Hall. The concert is organized in partnership with the Polish Institute in Vilnius. For the full program of the LNPhS 85th season please visit www.nationalphilharmonic.lt  LNPhS 85th concert season is sponsored by NORFA.

LNPhS inf.