A concert by the piano duo Brigitte Engerer of France and Boris Berezovsky of Russia inaugurates tonight the International Chopin Piano Festival in the spa of Duszniki, south-western Poland.

The program of the ten-day event includes recitals and concerts by such prominent pianists as Nicolai Demidenko, Alexander Gavrilyuk, Krzysztof Jabłoński and Arcadi Volodos, as well as the violinist Konstanty Kulka, the cellist Tomasz Strahl and the singer Jadwiga Rappe.

The Festival in Duszniki is the oldest music festival in Poland. Launched in 1946 and it has been held every year since. It commemorates Chopin’s stay in the spa in 1826. The composer was 16 years old when he came to Duszniki for treatment and gave two benefit concerts.