Drawing liberally on classical, jazz and American traditional music, Leonard Bernstein’s work is currently experiencing a real renaissance. This is partly due to a recent biographical film (promoted in Poland by Jakub Józef Orlinski at the Warsaw Philharmonic) about the composer’s emotional life. Hence the evening of Valentine’s Day (whether you celebrate it or not) is worth spending with Bernstein’s vibrant, passionate and witty music. In addition, suites from his famous stage works, the operetta Candide and the musical West Side Story, will be orchestrated by none other than the composer’s student and later collaborator and friend Eiji Oue.

The evening’s programme will also feature the fascinating attempt made by Malcolm Bolcom at the end of the twentieth century to transfer the Baroque concerto grosso form to contemporary music. In the group of soloists – called the concertina – the American composer placed an unusual ensemble of four saxophonists.

It might seem that the most romantic accent of our Valentine’s Day concert will be the suite from Dominick Argent’s opera The Dream of Valentino. However, the opera’s libretto refers not to the patron saint of lovers, but to the famous Hollywood actor, dancer and romantic lead of the silent film era, Rudolph Valentino.