Leo Festival from the very first edition onwards tried to focus on the NFM chamber orchestra’s active role within society. We tried to experience the relationship of music with dance, sport, other disciplines like architecture, literature, cabaret, painting, haute cuisine, we even dipped into the world of magicians, we tried to find out about humour in music etc. Another main goal was the cooperation with children and youth choirs, be it in concerts or opera productions. You might remember the performances of the Ugly Duckling by Michal Ziółkowski which were a brillant highlight of  Leo 2016 and 2017! Since this is the last edition of the Festival under my direction, I again wanted to include a theatrical evening together with the fantastic youth – choirs of Małgorzata Podzielny which due to the Covid-19 pandemic was not possible for several years. We offer you two classics of this genre, Hindemith’s Wir bauen eine Stadt and Hans Krása’s Brundibar as the final event of Leo 23. At the opening concert of the Festival the  NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra will play two works of leading composers from Poland and Austria, Witold Lutosławski and HK Gruber, and combine them with timeless music, with two symphonies by Haydn and Mozart! Hosting Leo will again bring chamber music to private homes. The orchestra actively reaches out its audience and offers intimate musical experience to our hosts and friends, which is already so rare in our time.

I am happy to announce that Leo next year will continue under the direction of the leader of Leopoldinum Orchestra, Christian Danowicz. It will thus, also in the future, express the active role of Leopoldinum Orchestra in this wonderful city. Many thanks to all who helped to bring Leo 23 on stage again, especially Director Andrzej Kosendiak for his proactive help over so many years! I wish you invigorating performances! A big thank you to you, dear audience, for your interest during all the years of Leo.

Ernst Kovacic