The concert on 7 May 2021 at 7.00 p.m. will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Third Silesian Uprising. Soprano Katarzyna Trylnik and the Opole Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Jakub Chrenowicz will perform Henryk Mikołaj Górecki's Symphony No. 3: Symphony of Sorrowful Songs.

This moving piece for soprano and orchestra will pay tribute to the insurgents fighting for the annexation of Upper Silesia to Poland and to all Silesians who died in this conflict. The anniversary of the Third Silesian Uprising is an opportunity to reflect on the history of Silesia, as well as a reminder of the multiculturalism of this region, which, despite its difficult and painful past, has found its strength and wealth in its cultural diversity.

Henryk Mikołaj Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Op. 36 for soprano and orchestra, also known as the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, is often mentioned as one of the most original masterpieces of 20th century music. The composer himself said: "Symphony No. 3 'Of Sorrowful Songs' was commissioned by the Baden-Baden Südwestfunk radio. I worked on it from 30th October to 30th December 1976. Its premiere took place at the 14th International Contemporary Art Festival on 4th April 1977. It was sung by Stefania Woytowicz with the Südwestfunk Symphony Orchestra under Ernest Bour. The Symphony consists of three songs, the first – and the longest one (ca. 27 minutes) – being a strict canon interrupted by a soprano invocation. Its theme uses a fragment of a Kurpie song from Father Władysław Skierkowski's collection. The second song – the shortest one – is a kind of a lamentation with a simple ABABC structure. The third song is a variation on an authentic folk tune from the Opole region from Adolf Dygacz's collection. I have dedicated the Symphony to my wife."

The concert will be available online on the Opole Philharmonic's YouTube channel from 7 May 2021.

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

More information: https://filharmonia.opole.pl/