The concert will celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of the NFM Boys' Choir with a performance of Saint Nicholas by Benjamin Britten. It is the first of twelve pieces by Britten intended for amateurs. The cantata requires only a few professional musicians, whose parts constitute the core of the composition. As the title suggests, it tells the story of Saint Nicholas, the bishop of Myra, from his birth to his death. It does not illustrate the life of a pop-culture symbol, associated with a sleigh filled to the brim with gifts and pulled by reindeer, but draws attention to the often dramatic life of one of the most worshipped Christian saints and patrons. The evening will begin with the performance of another work by Britten: Missa brevis in D major for choir and organ, and the programme will be complemented by works by Polish composers.
Performers:
Małgorzata Podzielny – conductor
Andrzej Kosendiak – conductor*
Mark Padmore – tenor*
Mikołaj Szczęsny – organ
NFM Girls' Choir
NFM Boys' Choir
NFM Choir
Lionel Sow – artistic direction of NFM Choir
Rondo Vocal Ensemble
NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra
Programme:
B. Britten Missa brevis in D major for choir and organ op. 63
M. Raczyński Canticum trium puerorum (world premiere)
G. Miśkiewicz Laudate Dominum omnes gentes
M. Ziółkowski Gloria for three mixed choirs, two children's choirs and chamber orchestra
***
B. Britten Saint Nicolas Cantata op. 42*
https://www.nfm.wroclaw.pl/en/component/nfmcalendar/event/11319
British Council is a partner of the event.