Symphonic concert – "Requiem" by Verdi

Małgorzata Walewska, photo: Iza Grzybowska

PFB Orchestra
George Tchitchinadze - conductor
Łódź Philharmonic Choir
Artur Koza – choir preparation
Soojin Moon-Sebastian – soprano
Małgorzata Walewska – mezzo-soprano
Tomasz Kuk – tenor
Łukasz Konieczny - bass

Our program will include:

Giuseppe Verdi - Requiem [84']

Soojin Moon-Sebastian
Comes from Seoul (South Korea). She received her bachelor's degree with honors from Seoul National University. Already during her student years, she performed as a soloist in numerous concerts with renowned Korean orchestras, such as the KBS Symphony Orchestra. She made her debut in Korea as Despina in Cosi fan tutte at the Sejong Korean Cultural Center.
After coming to Europe, she continued her studies at the Milan Conservatory with prof. Rita Orlandi Malaspina and received a diploma with the Award for Classical Singing and won a scholarship from the Sergio Dragoni Foundation. She also participated in master classes with Sherrill Milnes, Regina Resnik, Renato Bruson, Janine Reiss, Dalton Baldwin and Monserrat Caballé.
She won the Dong-A National Music Competition, first prize at the Korean Young Artists Competition (1993) in South Korea, the Toti Dal Monte International Vocal Competition in Treviso (1998) and the International Vocal Competition Rocca. delle Macìe (1999), 1997rd prize at the international singing competition VERVIERS in Belgium (1998) and Bilbao (1998), and received a special prize at the international Riccardo Zandonai competition (XNUMX). She was a finalist of many international competitions, such as IVC Hertogenbosch, Montserrat Caballé in Andorra, J. Aragall in Girona, F.Viñas in Barcelona, ​​Spain, etc.
She appeared as Violetta and Mimì at the Hessian State Theater in Wiesbaden, Liù in Turandot in Gießen, Giulietta w The Tales of Hoffmann in Bonn, Cio-Cio San w Madame Butterfly in Orlando, at the Komische Oper Berlin or at the Opera Zuid in Maastricht. In 2011, she played Małgorzata w Faustus at the Seoul National Opera. In the 2015/2016 season, she played the role of Lady Macbeth at the Bielefeld Theater and sang the role of Abigaille at the Pforzheimer Theater and the Nordhausen Theater. In September and October 2016, she made her debut as Ariadna in Ariadne on Naxos at the Nederlandse Reisopera in Enschede, Den Haag, Rotterdam, Amsterdam. He also performs other famous soprano parts, such as: Tosca.

Małgorzata Walewska
She is an outstanding Polish mezzo-soprano. She was included among the ten most famous Poles in the weekly's ranking Team. In 1994, she graduated with honors from the Academy of Music in Warsaw. While still a student, she won the International Academic Vocal Competition in Wrocław (1990nd Prize, 1992) and the Alfred Kraus Competition in the Canary Islands (1992st Prize, 1992). She was also a finalist of the Belvedere Competition (Vienna, 1992), the Luciano Pavarotti Competition (Philadelphia, XNUMX) and the Stanisław Moniuszko (Warsaw, XNUMX).
The artist's stage debut was the role of Aza in Manru Paderewski on the stage of the Grand Theater in Warsaw (1991). He also successfully performs in concert and oratorio repertoire, performing, among others: Magnificat Johann Sebastian Bach, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2 and 3, Stabat Mater Gioacchino Rossini, Mass in C major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Mass in E flat major by Franz Schubert, Gloria Antonio Vivaldi, Requiem Giuseppe Verdi, Requiem Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, King David Arthur Honegger, Te Deum Anton Bruckner.
She has appeared as a guest in opera houses in Berlin (Deutsche Oper), Bremen, Düsseldorf (Deutsche Oper am Rhein), Essen, Geneva, Klagenfurt, Las Palmas, Luxembourg, Rome (Teatro della Opera), Santa Cruz and Florida (Palm Beach Opera). In the years 1996-1998 she had a permanent contract with the Vienna Staatsoper, and since 1999 she has been cooperating with the Dresden Semperoper.
Her stage partners included: Renato Bruson, Placido Domingo, Simon Estes, Edita Gruberova, Thomas Hampson, Dmitry Hvorostovsky, Luis Lima, Luciano Pavarotti and Bernhard Weikl. She took part in many music festivals. She sang on stages and stages in Austria, Finland, France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and the United States.

Tomasz Kuk
He graduated with honors from the Vocal and Acting Faculty of the Academy of Music in Krakow. He improved his skills during master classes conducted by Helena Łazarska, Ryszard Karczykowski and Montserrat Caballé. He is a laureate of national and foreign vocal competitions. He won, among others: 1994st prize at the Vocal Competition in Wrocław (1996), 1997nd prize and a Special Prize at the Vocal Competition in Duszniki Zdrój (XNUMX). At the XNUMXth International Vocal Art Competition Ady Sari in Nowy Sącz (XNUMX) received the XNUMXrd statutory prize and a special prize for the performance of Jontek's aria from the opera Halka Moniuszko. In 1999, he was the winner of the International Vocal Competition. V. Bellini in Caltanissetta. At the XNUMXth International Vocal Competition S. Moniuszko in Warsaw won the XNUMXst prize.
His repertoire includes numerous Verdi parts, including: Don José v Carmen Bizet, Arthur in Lucia z Lammermoor Donizetti, Tebaldo v Capuletti e i Montecchi Bellini, Turiddu w Peasant chivalry Mascani and Jontek w Halce, Stefan w Scary manor and Idamor w Parii Moniuszko. He has also performed many prestigious oratorio and stage concerts. He is permanently associated with the Krakow Opera, and regularly cooperates with the Grand Theater in Łódź, the Grand Theater in Poznań, Opera Nova in Bydgoszcz, and the National Opera in Warsaw. He often performs as a guest on foreign opera stages, including: in Japan, England, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Łukasz Konieczny
A graduate of the Academy of Music in Wrocław. He took part in many master classes with teachers and singers such as prof. Christian Elßner, Deborah Polaski, David Syrus, Jane Henschel, Linda Watson and Franz Grundheber. Acting courses at the International Film School "IFS" in Cologne complemented the singer's stage preparation. In the years 2011-2019, soloist of the Rhine Opera in Düsseldorf. His repertoire includes over 50 opera roles. He also regularly performs concert repertoire. He won a special prize in the Istanbul International Song Competition in 2010.
Łukasz Konieczny achieved significant success as Polyphemus in the stage premiere of the opera Acis and Galatea Handel during the International Handel Festival in Halle in 2013. An important event was also the performance of the bass part in The wedding Stravinsky at the Klavierfestival Ruhr 2013 and the bass part in Polish Requiem Krzysztof Penderecki during the Polish Music Festival in Krakow 2014. In 2015, the singer made his debut in the role of Rocca in the opera Fidelio Beethoven at the Mainfranken-Theater in Würzburg. The singer's achievements also include album recordings, including: Ring of the Nibelung Wagner (as Fafner and Hunding) with the Duisburger Philharmoniker orchestra under the direction of Axel Kober, or The return of the Prodigal Son Feliks Nowowiejski (Father's part) with the Warmian-Masurian Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Piotr Sułkowski, which recording was nominated for the Fryderyk 2022 award.
Recently, Łukasz Konieczny has performed, among others, as Sarastro w The Magic Flute Mozart in the historic Goethe Theater in Bad Lauchstädt, Rocco w Fidelio Beethoven at the Baltic Opera, Colline w Boheme Puccini at the Grand Theater - National Opera, and also as Fafner in Siegfried Wagner at the Rhine Opera in Düsseldorf.

George Tchitchinadze
One of Georgia's most beloved artists, who quickly gained recognition from the audience and critics due to his impressive skills, taste and imagination, charisma, as well as warmth and sensitivity in contacts with the audience and musicians. Maestro began his career as an opera conductor in 1998, conducting the Gala Concert during the Tbilisi International Opera Festival. Currently, he teaches conducting class and heads the Opera Department at the Tbilisi State Conservatory.
George Tchitchinadze has collaborated with several Polish orchestras, such as Sinfonia Iuventus, Sinfonia Varsovia and the Orchestra of the National Forum of Music in Wrocław. Recently, he conducted Christmas and New Year concerts with the Georgian Chamber Orchestra in Ingolstadt, Germany, and the Orchestra of the National Forum of Music in Wrocław, with which he often gives concerts. He went on many concert tours, including: around Israel with the Tbilisi State Opera and Ballet, performing in Jerusalem, Quiriat Haim, Herzelii and Rishon LeZion. He conducted such orchestras as the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, the Lithuanian National Chamber Orchestra, the Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra and the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra.
The maestro also led the orchestra of the Tbilisi State Opera and Ballet, conducting, among others, Verdi's Aida, Leoncavallo's Pagliacci and Mozart's Don Giovanni. He also collaborated with the Chamber Orchestra of St. Krzysztof as part of the Vilnius Alternative festival. He also served as Music Director of the International Music Festival in Saga (Japan), during which he conducted the famous Orchestra of the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.
George Tchitchinadze also conducted the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Dutch Symphony Orchestra in Enschede. Maestro collaborated with Sinfonia Varsovia in Warsaw, Bilbao, Minsk and Japan - with them he made his debut at the La Roque d' Antheron festival in August 2010.

Choir of the Łódź Philharmonic Arthur Rubinstein became a professional team in 1969 thanks to the efforts of Stefan Marczyk, the then head of the institution. The first choirmaster was Tomasz Szymański. The choir has a rich and versatile repertoire, covering many musical genres, styles and eras. This is musical literature intended for vocalists accompanied by a symphony orchestra, chamber ensembles and a cappella singers. In 2014, the Choir of the Łódź Philharmonic celebrated the 45th anniversary of its activity - on this occasion it received the Bronze Medal for Merit to Culture Gloria Artis. He went on many foreign tours, performing, among others, in France, Belgium and Austria. He has made a number of recordings, including: vocal-instrumental works by Aleksander Tansman.

From the 2022/2023 season he is the choirmaster Artur Koza, graduate of the Academy of Music Karol Lipiński in Wrocław in the symphony and opera conducting class of prof. Mieczysław Gawroński (2017) and classical guitar prof. Piotr Zaleski (2016). In 2011, he graduated with honors from the Secondary Music School. H. Wieniawski in Łódź. Since 2018, he has been cooperating with the Choir of the National Forum of Music in Wrocław as an assistant conductor. In the years 2018–2021, he was also an assistant conductor of the Polish National Youth Choir, in which he was a singing artist in the years 2013–2018. He conducted chamber ensembles, choirs and orchestras. He conducted performances of operas, musicals, oratorios, symphonic and chamber works. He performed many first performances of works by Wrocław composers.

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