Krzysztof Penderecki “Museum of Man – Penderecki nn Memoriam” Sinfonietta Cracovia 06.07.2026

06 July 2026 / 7 p.m. Baltic Opera in Gdańsk

Krzysztof Penderecki

Museum of Man - Penderecki In Memoriam

Museum of Man is a tribute to the memory of Krzysztof and Elżbieta Penderecki, who played a fundamental role in the history of Sinfonietta Cracovia. It was their support that helped the young orchestra at the time gain city patronage in 1994. Krzysztof Penderecki’s music has accompanied the ensemble through key moments of its artistic development, and the orchestra itself has been a vital performer and interpreter of his works.

Elżbieta Penderecka, who passed away in October 2025, was a member of the Honorary Committee of the Baltic Opera Festival (BOF). Her support as a leading figure in musical life and patron of culture was particularly valuable, motivating the creators of the Baltic Opera Festival to consistently and uncompromisingly develop largest opera event in this part of Europe.

In the 1980s, Marian Żak received Krzysztof Penderecki’s permission to create a contemporary choreography for the Partita for Harpsichord and String Orchestra. It became part of the production Museum of Man which premiered on April 12, 1986, at the Silesian Opera in Bytom and was very highly regarded by the composer himself. The evening of July 6th will culminate in the premiere of a contemporary dance performance inspired by that production.

The concert Museum of Man – Penderecki in Memoriam is a tribute from the Sinfonietta Cracovia orchestra, Marian Żak, and the Festival organizers to the legacy of the Pendereckis’. The event will serve as a gesture of gratitude for their shared history, while the evening’s program will showcase the multidimensionality of Maestro Krzysztof Penderecki’s musical language and his constant dialogue with tradition.

Detailed Program

“Three Pieces in Old Style”
“Sinfonietta No. 2 for clarinet and strings”
“Chaconne” from “A Polish Requiem”
“Partita for harpsichord, electric guitar, bass guitar, harp, solo double bass and chamber orchestra” – a stage production created in collaboration with the Kraków Opera Ballet

A special concert featuring Sinfonietta Cracovia co-financed by Diana Paine as part of the cooperation with the American Friends of Baltic Opera Festival Foundation

Creatives

Choreography/Staging
Marian Żak

Costumes/Set Design
Anna Sekuła

Lighting Design
Ada Bystrzycka

Assistant Lighting Director
Michał Piosek

Multimedia Operator
Michał Sułkowski

Sound effects
Jan Olejniczak

Musical Direction/Conductor
Michał Klauza

Libretto
Marian Żak / Andrzej Grabowski

Cast

Andrzej Ciepliński – clarinet

Marek Toporowski – harpsichord

Damian Kurasz – electric guitar

Piotr Żaczek – bass guitar

Adrian Nowak – harp

Marek Romanowski – double bass

Sinfonietta Cracovia

Dancers of the Kraków Opera Ballet in Kraków: Iyo Hataishi, Airi Fatjo Araki, Sofia Manca, Agata Steinke-Wojtala, Javier Arés Cabeza, Álef Gabriel Carvahlo, Edoardo Malabaila, Matheus Tertuliano

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