Symphonic concert: Concert of the Laureate of the 2nd Prize of the XVII Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition in Poznań

The symphonic prelude to Mona Lisa Gioconda op. 31 belongs to Różycki's mature orchestral works. Like the opera Medusa op. 27, it grows out of a fascination with the figure of Leonardo da Vinci. The creation of the work coincided with the high-profile theft of the painting from the Paris Louvre, reinforcing the atmosphere of unusualness around the Renaissance masterpiece. Różycki draws a musical vision of the era with the help of late Romantic orchestral apparatus, chromatic harmonica and sophisticated instrumental colors. A special role is played by solo violins, conducting a sensual dialogue with the orchestra. The composition develops from a dark introduction, through a lyrical violin theme, to a powerful climax and moody silence.

Ottorin Respighi's La boutique fantasque is a ballet based on the music of Gioachin Rossini, developed for the choreography of Leonid Massine and the Ballets Russes ensemble. The London premiere in 1919 brought the work a lasting success. The plot takes the listener to a magic shop, where, after closing the door, mechanical toys come to life and indulge in dances.

Respighi reached out to Rossini's lesser-known piano miniatures, giving them new life through imaginative orchestration. It combines the lightness of the original with the kaleidoscopic variation of colors, stylizations of ancient dances and Italian opera tradition. Rossini's style is filtered here by the sensitivity of the composer of the early twentieth century, creating a score full of theatrical grace, humor and extraordinary colorfulness.