Polish 'Crazy Day' a treat for fans of Russian composers

Classical music fans will be treated to a feast of Russian works in Warsaw's "Crazy Day" festival that packs 60 concerts into three days, organisers said Thursday. The September 28-30 "Szalone Dni Muzyki" ("Crazy Day of Music") at Warsaw's National Opera aims to build on the sell-out 2011 edition which featured music by Brahms, Liszt, Mahler and Strauss. This year's programme has a Russian flavour, boasting works by giants such as Prokofiev, Rachmaninov, Shostakovich, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky. "There's no price barrier, to ensure everyone can have access to music," the festival's French artistic director Rene Martin told reporters. Tickets cost between five and 10 zloty (1.20-2.40 euros, $1.50-3.00). The Warsaw event's popularity has spiraled, with 27,000 people attending the first festival in 2010 and 40,000 last year. The festival is a spin-off of the "La Folle Journee" held in the city of Nantes in Brittany, western France. Similar concert-packed festivals exist in Brazil, Spain and Japan, while Canadian and Chinese versions are due next year.