“Chopin Without Piano”

Director Michal Zadara and actor Barbara Wysocka of CENTRALA (Warsaw, Poland) replace the piano parts of Frederic Chopin’s Piano Concertos in E Minor and F Minor with a riveting dramatic monologue. Climbing on top of the piano, Wysocka explores cultural, political, and philosophical tensions of the composer’s time that feel strikingly contemporary. Her highly physical virtuoso performance is accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and led by Warsaw National Opera’s rising young talent, conductor Bassem Akiki.Artfully weaving together fragments of Chopin’s letters and music criticism from some of the finest writers and thinkers of our age, Chopin Without Piano captures the composer as a dynamic living presence within the full force of his music. It challenges us to think more deeply about the sustaining value of Chopin’s music, the tradition of live classical performance, and culture in the broadest sense.