Koncert Finałowy by Strauss, Berlioz, Sibelius, dom 24 set 2023, De (2023/2023), Regente Aleksandar Markovic, Teatr Wielki - Opera Narodowa, Varsóvia, Polônia

It seems that the sensuality of the French language makes it ideal for depicting the beauty and the richness of the night. One example of that would be the Les nuits d’été cycle by Hector Berlioz, a true master of both instrumentation and vocal music. Admittedly, the opening Villanelle is about the spring, yet already in The Ghost of the Rose we hear memories of a summer night: a ball and the eponymous flower attached to a girl’s dress. The Unknown Island, the final song in the cycle, on the other hand, is a conversation between a sailor and a woman. When he asks where she wants to go, the woman says she has no real place in mind. Neither the Baltic Sea, nor Java will bring her joy. All she desires is to go to an island where true love will be awaiting her. As it turns out, not only the French language can be subtle and sensual. Among the most affectionate songs are Richard Strauss’ works with German lyrics. Wiegenlied (“Lullaby”) and Morgen! (“Tomorrow!”) are both songs for the evening. The former lulls to sleep, and evokes a world of dreams and memories. The latter is a hopeful promise of love. Deep feelings can also be expressed without words, just like in Sibelius’s Violin Concerto in D minor, a piece that is both masterful and incredibly emotional.