In 1896, the Czech composer Antonín Dvořák was inspired by local folk tales to create four symphonic poems, based on poems by Karel Jaromír Erben. One such piece is entitled The Noon Witch and portrays the potential excesses of protecting children when parents try to keep them safe from threats from the outside world. The connection to popular culture also underlies Ligeti’s Romanian Concerto, while Liszt focused on Gregorian melodies for the creation of his Dance of the Death. In a programme rich in the exploration of creative paths, we will also hear the music that Verdi composed for the opera Macbeth, based on one of William Shakespeare’s most emblematic plays.