Wratislavia Cantans 2007

[Maciek]

Yesterday a performance of Beethoven's Missa solemnis (Susan Gritton, Jane Irwin, Werner Güra, Neal Davies, GABRIELI CONSORT & PLAYERS/Paul McCreesh) opened the 42nd edition of the Wratislavia Cantans International Vocal Music Festival - Poland's most important music festival (apart from Warsaw Autumn perhaps, and maybe the Easter Beethoven Festival, and maybe the Mozart Festival in Warsaw, and let's not forget the Chopin Festival in Duszniki Zdrój, oh dear...; no, definitely only Wratislavia Cantans and Warsaw Autumn are at the very top). Many of the concerts are transmitted by the Polish Radio Channel 2 (you can listen on-line). Others will be broadcast at a later date.

The site of the festival with the full program can be found here: http://www.wratislaviacantans.pl/ (mirror site here: http://www.wratislavia.art.pl/).

[BachQ]

Warsaw Autumn is definitely tops .........

[Maciek]

I don't know. It doesn't have Paul McCreesh as artistic director. Though if he were artistic director there - he'd be sure to wreak havoc (imagine all those HIP performances of Penderecki and Ligeti).

[Maciek]

Though I was listening to one of the concerts on the radio today (Gabrieli Consort/McCreesh) and one of the pieces which struck me as especially beautiful (and well performed) was actually by Thomas Adès!