The Choir of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic in Białystok
under direction Professor Violetta Bielecka
The Choir of The Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic in Białystok was founded in 2006 on the initiative of professor Violetta Bielecka and Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski – then Managing and Artistic Director of The Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic. The choristers were selected from the best local choirs, such as: Academic Choir of the University in Bialystok, Choir of the Medical University of Białystok, Schola Cantorum Bialostociensis. The core of the group create artists who have been singing for many years in Cantica Cantamus chamber choir run by professor Violetta Bielecka.
The Choir of The Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic has been actively performing in Poland and abroad, i.e. in Belgium, Belarus, France, Lithuania, Moldavia, Germany, Romania, Ukraine and Italy. The Choir took part twice in the International festival of Contemporary Music “Warsaw Autumn” where the choristers performed compositions of Henryk Mikołaj Górecki (2006) and Giacinto Scelsi’s “Uaxactun” with an accompaniment of the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra (2008). In December 2006 the Choir performed during XIII International Festival Laboratory of Contemporary Music in Warsaw where the musicians performed compositions of Marian Borkowski and Paweł Łukaszewski. In August 2007 the choristers took part in an International Festival “Musica Sacra in the Warsaw-Prague Cathedral”. The ensemble inaugurated International Festival of Sacral Music “Gaude Mater” in Częstochowa where together with the Symphony Orchestra of the Częstochowa Philharmonic they performed Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s Symphony No 2 in B Major Op. 52 “Lobgesang”.
The Choir together with The Choir and Symphonic Orchestra of The Wrocław Philharmonic took part in an inauguration of the 44th edition of The International Festival “Wratislawa Cantans” in Wrocław. The choirs were conducted by Jacek Kasprzak.
Previous artistic seasons brought performances of many eminent musical compositions, including i.e. “Stabat Mater” by Gioacchino Rossini, “Stabat Mater” and “Harnasi” by Karol Szymanowski, “Requiem” by Giuseppe Verdi, and “Seven Gates of Jerusalem” of Krzysztof Penderecki.
In January 2008 during the inauguration concert of the Jubilee Year of 75th birthday of Professor Krzysztof Penderecki, the Choir performed Symphony No 8, ‘Songs of Transience”, and in November 2008 took part in the Krzysztof Penderecki Festival in Warsaw and performed “Seven Gates of Jerusalem” conducted by maestro himself. The music recording of this concert became a soundtrack of the movie (computer animation by Tomasz Bagiński – the Oscar winner) and its world premiere took place on MIDEM 2009.
The choir’s discography includes: “Sacered Music” with compositions of Paweł Łukaszewski (Fryderyk award 2008), “Kurpie Songs” by Karol Szymanowski, Stanisław Moryto and Henryk Górecki (Fryderyk award 2009, phonographic debut of the year category), “Prayer for Poland” and “Spring” cantatas of Zygmunt Stojowski which were performed with the Orchestra of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic conducted by Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski (album nominated to the Fryderyk award 2009). The Choir also took part in the radio recording of Feliks Nowowiejski oratorio “Finding the holy cross” performed with the Polish Radio Orchestra in Warsaw conducted by Andrzej Straszyński. The most recent CD recordings are “Choral Music” with compositions of Stanisław Moryto and Marcin Gumiela in cooperation with the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre.
The performance of the Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s “Humboldt-Kantate” and “Die erste Walpurgisnacht” by the Choir of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic and the National Symphony Orchestra of the Polish Radio in Katowice conducted by Ola Rudner during the 13th Easter Ludwig van Beethoven Festival in 2009 in the National Philharmonic were reviewed very enthusiastically.
The Choir very willingly engages in projects supporting patriotic values, regional identity, and heritage honour. The Choir took part in the gala concert terminating celebrations of the 65th anniversary of liquidating Ghetto in Łódź. The concert took place in the Grand Theater in Łódź on 29.08.2009 with an attendance of great Polish soloist: Izabella Kłosińska, Izabela Matuła, Olga Pasiecznik, Agnieszka Rehlis, Romuald Tesarowicz and Adam Zdunikowski. Narration part was performed by Alberto Mizrahi (in Hebrew) and by Daniel Olbrychski. The concert was conducted by Maestro Krzysztof Penderecki.
The Choir of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic performed Vincenzo Bellini’s “Norma” in the frame of the Chopin and his Europe Festival. The event took place in the Warsaw Philharmonic with a participation of an outstanding “Europa Galante” directed by Fabio Biondi.
The Choir of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic is created by wonderful people who share the same passion – singing.
