Abu Dhabi Festival (ADF), the largest multi-disciplinary cultural celebration in the UAE, announced its partnership with the Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival in Warsaw in celebration of the 250th anniversary since the birth of renowned composer Ludwig van Beethoven and the 210thanniversary of the composer Chopin.
The Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival was founded in 1997 by Elżbieta Penderecki. Curated by renowned international artists, the Festival today it is the largest classical music festival in Poland and offers a series of symphony concerts, opera performances, and many events and accompanying programs.
ADF’s partnership with the 2020 edition of the Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival focused onpresenting the brightest young piano talents in a series of live performances across five cities in Poland that took place in September and October 2020. Commenting on the partnership, H.E. Huda Ibrahim Al Khamis, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and the Artistic Director of Abu Dhabi Festival said, “Our partnership with the Beethoven Easter Festival, one of the most prestigious festivals in Europe, is a testament to Abu Dhabi Festival’s role in enriching the Emirates’ cultural vision and its presence abroad, as a hub for creativity and a force for culture and the arts.
We first marked our partnership with Beethoven Easter Festival with two world premieres, beginning with Abu Dhabi Festival presenting Oud Master Naseer Shamma along with 25 oud musicians in 2008 at the Beethoven Easter Festival in Warsaw. It continued when Abu Dhabi Festival welcomed Krzysztof Penderecki, the greatest composer of the 20th century, who gave a memorable and historic premiere performance for the first time anywhere in the Arab World at Abu Dhabi Festival in 2010, and when he received the Abu Dhabi Festival Award in 2018.
Today we continue our work with Elżbieta Penderecki, president and artistic director of the Beethoven Easter Festival and, to present together exquisite performances by award-winning young pianists, and to celebrate the masterful work of Beethoven and Chopin.”
Elżbieta Penderecki, Founder and President of the Beethoven Easter Festival said “I am proud and honoured to work with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation and Abu Dhabi Festival. Music unites our two countries, because sharing culture with other nations build bridges and creates mutual understanding. I thank Madame Al Khamis-Kanoo for this wonderful partnership, and I look forward to future collaborations and to the next Abu Dhabi Festival,”.
Ahmed Almansoori, Chargé d’Affairs of the UAE embassy in Poland said “This collaboration is a wonderful example of a cultural dialogue taking place as a result of Abu Dhabi Festival’s strong presence abroad. The Festival’s partnerships with organisations around the world further Abu Dhabi’s international role, allowing it to have a greater impact on global cultural exchange. An important part of that impact is supporting talented young musicians abroad, and also celebrating the 250thanniversary of Beethoven’s birth and the 210thanniversary of Chopin’s,”
“This is a direct reflection of the United Arab Emirates’ investment in youth and innovation and an important example of the country’s contributions to the creativity and the arts on the world stage. Abu Dhabi Festival exemplifies the UAE’s efforts to connect people and nations through cultural diplomacy. I truly hope the cooperation in this and many other fields will continue to develop in the future for the benefit of both our countries and our citizens.”
H.E. Mr. Robert Rostek, Polish Ambassador to the UAE said “I am delighted to know that the Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival is collaborating with Abu Dhabi Festival, one of the most prestigious cultural events in the world, to support Poland’s most gifted pianists,”
“This cooperation is a unique opportunity to strengthen the strategic partnership and cultural diplomacy between Poland and the United Arab Emirates and is a new point of our bilateral relationship in the field of culture; I am absolutely positive that this will create mutually beneficial cultural relations now and in the future,” he added.
The Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival in Warsaw comprises several musical genres, as well as a reminiscence of Beethoven’s musical masterpieces and long-standing symphonies. In addition, the Festival included performances by leading young Polish pianists such as Tymoteusz Bies, Szymon Nehring, Pawel Wojciechowski, Aleksandra Świgut, Krzysztof Książek, and Adam Goździewski.
One of the most admired composers in the history of music, the world-renowned German composer, Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn in 1770, and lost his hearing at the age of 26. The devoted student of the maestro Mozart, this musical prodigy is considered to be the most influential musician in the world.”
