Sara Dragan — Master recital on Stradivari violin

Sara Dragan is a violinist from Legnica who has performed at Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonic, Walt Disney Concert Hall and Konzerthaus Berlin, among others. Already on Thursday, October 8, at 18:00, he will perform in the Hall of the Royal Knight Academy in front of the Legnica audience in a duet with the American pianist Kenny Broberg. Tickets for PLN 10 (normal) and PLN 5 (for students) are available at Galeria Satyrykon (Rynek 36).

She has more than 60 first prizes in international competitions, including 1st prize at the Princess Astrid International Music Competition in Trondheim. This evening we will hear her play on Antonio Stradivari's superb violin. Kenny Broberg — silver medalist of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, bronze medalist of the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and winner of the American Pianists Awards 2021 — will sit at the piano.

Most of the works performed that evening were created to show what the violin really can do. Wieniawski's whim, his Fantasia on themes from “Faust”, and finally “I Palpiti” by Paganini in a daring elaboration by Fritz Kreisler — these are works that require the highest technical skills from the performer. In the middle of the program, however, the audience will find something completely different. Prokofiev's sonata in F minor is dark and disturbing. The composer told the outstanding violinist David Oystrakh that the passages in the first part are supposed to sound like the wind passing through the cemetery. The sonata was first performed in 1946 and to this day is considered one of the most emotionally difficult violin works of the past century. The piano part is as demanding here as the violin part. We will also hear a piece for solo violin, which only a few daredevils reach for — mention of Schubert's “King Olch” in Ernst's transcription.

H. Wieniawski — Kaprys op. 18 No. 2 F. Schubert/H. W. Ernst — “King Olch” H. Wieniawski — Fantasy on themes from Gounod's opera “Faust”, op. 20 S. Prokofiev — Sonata for violin and piano no. 1 in F minor, op. 80 W. Lutosławski — P. Czajkowski's “Subito” — Aria Lenskiego (op. L. Auer) N. Paganini — “I Palpitas”, Op. 13 (op. F. Kreisler)

Sara Dragan (violin) — comes from Legnica, lives in Madrid. She won 1st prize at the Princess Astrid International Music Competition in Trondheim, and a total of more than sixty first prizes at international competitions, including the David Oystrach Competition. She has played in the Berlin Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall and Konzerthaus Berlin. She studied with the legendary professor Zakhar Bron. “Sara Dragan has impeccable technique” — Maxim Vengerov; “I am very impressed with her beautiful and warm sound. One of the most interesting artists of her generation.” — Salvatore Accardo

Kenny Broberg (piano) is an American pianist, silver medalist of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. He studied with Abbey Simon, who studied directly with Leopold Godowski. He tours all over the world and records for the best classical music labels. Together with Sara Dragan, he recorded the album “Godowsky: Timeless” (DUX, 2025), awarded the title of Album of the Week in Polish Radio.

We cordially invite you!