Romeo, Juliet and the Struggles of an Era

Under the baton of Polish conductor Anna Sułkowska-Migoń, three composers from a time of upheaval are brought together in a program where music becomes a spark of freedom.

Composed at the pivotal moment of his return to the Soviet Union, Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet emerged from the tension between personal artistic ambition and political constraint, carried by expressive melodies and a strikingly modern tone.

Composed prior to the tightening grip of Stalinist censorship, Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1 captivates with its bold dialogue between piano and trumpet, driven by Gabriela Montero’s energy. Grażyna Bacewicz’s Symphony No. 2, written in the immediate aftermath of World War II, marries tension and light, revealing the creative strength and resilience of a visionary composer.