Performance

Concert Under the Patronage of Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, Metropolitan Archbishop of Łódź

Giuseppe Verdi, the composer of dozens of operas, including such masterpieces as La Traviata, Aida, Rigoletto, and Il Trovatore, rarely ventured beyond the operatic genre. However, the death of the eminent Italian poet Alessandro Manzoni, who was also Verdi’s close friend, deeply moved the composer. To honor his friend’s memory, Verdi composed the Messa da Requiem (its full title).

This work was created spontaneously and reflects the grief and sorrow Verdi felt at the loss of his friend – grief so overwhelming that he could not bring himself to attend Manzoni’s funeral. It is this profound emotion that gives Requiem its extraordinary power to move listeners. The sincerity of the feelings Verdi experienced during its creation can still be heard today in every orchestral passage and every sung note.

We invite you to experience this magnificent piece on April 1, 2025, at the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka in Łódź, performed by Izabela Matuła, Olga Maroszek, Dominik Sutowicz, Rafał Pikała, the Choir and Orchestra of the Grand Theatre in Łódź, under the baton of Rafał Janiak.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the death of a great Pole, John Paul II, and it is to his memory that we dedicate this moving performance.

Johannes Brahms called Verdi’s Requiem a work of genius. We invite you to listen, reflect, and immerse yourself, even briefly, in its beauty. We look forward to seeing you.