A gala concert will be held tonight in the foyer of the Parliament building in Warsaw to mark the 200th anniversary of Fryderyk Chopin’s birth.

The National Philharmonic Orchestra under Antoni Wit will perform Chopin’s Concerto in E minor, with Piotr Paleczny, one of Poland’s leading pianists, as soloist.

The concert will open with the national anthem and a special address by the Speaker of Parliament Bronislaw Komorowski. The concert will be broadcast live by Polish Television.

In coming weeks Warsaw will host many great pianists, including Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Piotr Anderszewski, Rafał Blechacz and Murray Perahia. Some 2, 000 events are planned during the Chopin Year all over the world, from concerts and recitals to exhibitions, theatre performances and films. (mk)