Space Odyssey

Thursday Concerts, symphonic — National Philharmonic Orchestra and Krzysztof Urbański with music by Strauss Son, Richard Strauss and Chaczaturian and Ligeti.

National Philharmonic Orchestra, photo: Grzesiek Mart

From grand questions about the meaning of existence, to the pure experience of sound, to emotions and embodiment, this concert changes the perspective of not only how we listen, but also what we consider meaningful. The music we know so well from Kubrick's cult film 2001: A Space Odyssey opens a series of Thursday concerts in the new artistic season of the National Philharmonic.
Together with Richard Strauss's monumental That Said Zarathustra and György Ligeti's mesmerizing yet unbridled Atmospheres, you can feel almost like you're on a space trip. In Atmosphres, the man disappears — and with him the narrative, the emotions and the familiar points of reference. We embark on a sound space devoid of direction and support, without a clear beginning, a goal and a safe framework. It is an experience of pure, non-linear duration, in which music confuses and opens up new ways of listening. On the other hand, in the film Adagio from the ballet Gajane Chaczaturiana and Over the beautiful blue Danube by Johann Strauss's son (one of the greatest hits of classical music) we find solace, we return to the human. Narration, rhythm and expressive expression allow you to regain a sense of reality and meaning.
A powerful orchestra of several dozen allows listeners to experience an extremely intense, almost physical experience. “Ladies and gentlemen, let's rock!” — this is what the opinion-forming “Der Tagesspiegel” wrote about the performance of Krzysztof Urbański. We are certainly waiting for an electrifying performance under the baton of this charismatic Polish conductor, whose freshness, authenticity and exuberant interpretations have earned him international recognition.

Maria Peryte