www.karolszymanowski.pl

Karol Szymanowski's career was marked by extensive travel and widespread influences. In Poland, his popularity as a composer is second only to Chopin

Outside of Poland, it's taken longer for his works to gain recognition. Yet with operas such as "King Roger", the composer's operatic masterpiece, and fans who include world-famous conductors Simon Rattle (who called Szymanowski "one of the greatest composers of this century") and Charles Dutoit (who finds the Pole's music "extraordinarily vivid"). In 2008 "King Roger" debuted at the Edinburgh Festival and Stabat Mater followed shortly after, appearing in the London Proms in 2009. This year, as part of the Cultural Programme of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council, the composer's works take the stage at a number of esteemed concert venues around the world.

From the Berliner Philharmonie and Madrid's Teatro Real to London's Royal Festival Hall and the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music, Szymanowski's most acclaimed works, including "Stabat Mater" and the one-act opera Hagith, will debut for an international audience.

An important partner programme to the Szymanowski concert series will be the I, CULTURE Orchestra project, organized by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. The orchestra is comprised of young musicians from Poland and countries to the east of the European Union: Ukraine, Belarus, Moldavia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. 100 young musicians selected from 700 hopefuls will perform with some of the best conductors in the most renowned concert halls in Europe and Asia. All participants are under 25 years of age.