The Octopus and the Butterfly

You will discover just how unexpected the sources of inspiration can be for contemporary composers—whose works Sinfonietta Cracovia has been passionately presenting for years—on April 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Kraków’s Cricoteka during a concert in the Sinfonietta Nova series.

The evening’s program will feature Maciej Zakrzewski’s piece Butterfly Effect, whose title playfully alludes to chaos theory and the concept of dependence on initial conditions. In fact, this composition is a tribute to Giacomo Puccini, and the “event” that determines its character is the opening bars of the famous opera Madama Butterfly, which appear in the score.

In addition, you will hear Krzysztof Wołek’s Bellows Breath Concerto for accordion and strings, with the solo part performed by Rafał Łuc. The composer uses the acoustic properties of the accordion bellows to symbolically evoke human breath, and thanks to extended playing techniques, the body of the instrument becomes an excellent resonator, functioning as a percussion instrument.

The highlight of the program will be Monika Szpyrka’s Soft-body, commissioned by Polish Radio to mark the institution’s 100th anniversary. Fascinated by the mysterious world of octopuses—extraordinary invertebrates with a complex nervous system—the composer draws on the way their arms function, independently perceiving external stimuli. Each performer, fulfilling a strictly defined role on stage, becomes an autonomous “arm” capable of surprising musical actions that effectively blur the boundaries between the acoustic and electronic layers of the work.

The orchestra will be led by conductor Szymon Morus, artistic director of the Polish Chamber Philharmonic Sopot and the NDI Sopot Classic International Festival.

‍