Current issue:
ABOUT CULTURE
Composer's Birthday
Wojciech Kilar, one of the most outstanding Polish composers, famous all over the world for his film scores (for instance, for the American film entitled Dracula), is celebrating his 75th birthday. All his life, the artist has been associated with the region of Silesia (Śląsk). He lives in Katowice and, some time ago, he became an honorary citizen of the city. As a composer, however, he is the citizen of the world, performing in many countries and cooperating with the most eminent film and theater directors in the world, such as, for example, Francis Ford Coppola, Jane Campion, Roman Polański, Andrzej Wajda, Krzysztof Zanussi and Kazimierz Kutz. Wojciech Kilar, according to critics, has a talent to enrich his music with universal values and has the same kind of passion for music scores and for symphonic music performed in prestigious concert halls.
Successes of Warsaw's Angels in America
The play entitled Angels in America by Tony Kushner directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski has proved to be a real success on an international scale. The performance, awarded with the Pulitzer prize, is a story about the tragedy of people infected with AIDS. The actors from Warsaw who star in the play are welcomed with enthusiasm wherever they perform, and critics are full of praise, mainly for the director. Recently, Angels in America has represented Poland at the famous theater festival in Avignon, France. It has been the fifth performance of Warlikowski at this prestigious festival of the world's theater.
Genocide in Katyń on Screen
On September, 17, on the occasion of the 68th anniversary of the invasion of the Soviet Russia on Poland (on September, 1, 1939 Poland was invaded by the Germans and the Second World War began), the premiere of the latest Andrzej Wajda film is scheduled. The film tells the story of the tragic fate of the Polish officers killed by the Russians in Katyń. One of the victims was the director's father. This is the first film that touches upon this topic, which in the times of communism was forbidden in the name of the Polish – Soviet 'friendship'. Andrzej Wajda, who has been awarded with an Oscar, is one of the last directors of the older generation who have won international renown. The director says that he waited all his life to make this film. And finally, the time has come.
A Versatile Artist
Stanisław Wyspiański (1869-1907) is one of Polish artists with numerous talents. He was a playwright, a stained-glass maker, a painter, a stage designer and a costume designer. This year, we are celebrating the hundredth anniversary of his death. On this occasion, the National Museum (Muzeum Narodowe) in Warsaw has prepared an exhibition presenting the versatile output of this outstanding artist. Wyspiański's influence on Polish culture was enormous, which is observable and experienced even now, and the values of his works are universal. It is worth checking it at the exhibition for yourselves. The exhibition is open until September 30.
Lost Treasures?
Germans want to get back their historical items that were left in the territory of Poland after the Second World War. These are, for example, the collection of the Prussian Library (including manuscripts of famous German composers) that is now in the Jagiellonian Library in Cracow, and the collection of historic planes, which is now located in the Museum of the Polish Aviation (Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego) in Cracow. German treasures were not robbed, but taken over after they were found in the area of Poland left by the German troops. The problem of war treasures is very difficult to solve. Poland has even more serious demands addressed to Germany, as many Polish goods or historical sites were either stolen or destroyed by the Germans during the Second World War. It was, for instance, the Royal Castle in Warsaw. The castle was burnt and razed to the ground, and, as a result, numerous fantastic paintings by artists from all parts of the world have been lost forever. Similarly, Poland lost many other monuments and treasures in the war that had been started by Germans. Others were stolen and it remains unclear how to get them back. The value of these lost treasures is estimated at USD 20 million at least.
Bob Geldof in Warsaw
On September, 1, on the occasion of the anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War, Bob Geldof, a famous Irish musician, gave a concert at Teatralny Square in Warsaw. The artist is well-known for his fund-rising work, for which he was nominated to a Nobel Peace Prize, and also received an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II. In 1980s, Bob Geldof organized the concert entitled Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in London. The money raised at the concert went for aid for Africa. In 2005, the artist launched the action called Live 8, the aim of which was to draw the attention of the international public to the main problems of Africa, namely famine, poverty, unemployment and AIDS. The recital by Bob Geldof in Warsaw was a part of the concert entitled Music for Peace organized by Stołeczna Estrada.
Sofia Loren in a Film by a Polish Film Director
Krzysztof Zanussi, one of the best-known Polish film directors, is working on a new production telling the story of the life of Polish Queen Jadwiga (1374-1399). She was the wife of King Władysław Jagiełło, who started the great dynasty of the Jagiellonowie in Poland. When the members of this dynasty ruled the country, it became one of the biggest powers in Europe. Jadwiga was famous for her holiness (she was beatified by Pope John Paul II), and for her passion for studying. She founded the Jagiellonian University (Uniwersytet Jagielloński) in Cracow, which is one of the oldest universities in the world. The film is not the only production planned by Krzysztof Zanussi, though. He is to make a movie featuring Sofia Loren, on request of the star herself. This is to be a contemporary psychological detective story set in Switzerland.
Wojciech Kilar, one of the most outstanding Polish composers, famous all over the world for his film scores (for instance, for the American film entitled Dracula), is celebrating his 75th birthday. All his life, the artist has been associated with the region of Silesia (Śląsk). He lives in Katowice and, some time ago, he became an honorary citizen of the city. As a composer, however, he is the citizen of the world, performing in many countries and cooperating with the most eminent film and theater directors in the world, such as, for example, Francis Ford Coppola, Jane Campion, Roman Polański, Andrzej Wajda, Krzysztof Zanussi and Kazimierz Kutz. Wojciech Kilar, according to critics, has a talent to enrich his music with universal values and has the same kind of passion for music scores and for symphonic music performed in prestigious concert halls.
Successes of Warsaw's Angels in America
The play entitled Angels in America by Tony Kushner directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski has proved to be a real success on an international scale. The performance, awarded with the Pulitzer prize, is a story about the tragedy of people infected with AIDS. The actors from Warsaw who star in the play are welcomed with enthusiasm wherever they perform, and critics are full of praise, mainly for the director. Recently, Angels in America has represented Poland at the famous theater festival in Avignon, France. It has been the fifth performance of Warlikowski at this prestigious festival of the world's theater.
Genocide in Katyń on Screen
On September, 17, on the occasion of the 68th anniversary of the invasion of the Soviet Russia on Poland (on September, 1, 1939 Poland was invaded by the Germans and the Second World War began), the premiere of the latest Andrzej Wajda film is scheduled. The film tells the story of the tragic fate of the Polish officers killed by the Russians in Katyń. One of the victims was the director's father. This is the first film that touches upon this topic, which in the times of communism was forbidden in the name of the Polish – Soviet 'friendship'. Andrzej Wajda, who has been awarded with an Oscar, is one of the last directors of the older generation who have won international renown. The director says that he waited all his life to make this film. And finally, the time has come.
A Versatile Artist
Stanisław Wyspiański (1869-1907) is one of Polish artists with numerous talents. He was a playwright, a stained-glass maker, a painter, a stage designer and a costume designer. This year, we are celebrating the hundredth anniversary of his death. On this occasion, the National Museum (Muzeum Narodowe) in Warsaw has prepared an exhibition presenting the versatile output of this outstanding artist. Wyspiański's influence on Polish culture was enormous, which is observable and experienced even now, and the values of his works are universal. It is worth checking it at the exhibition for yourselves. The exhibition is open until September 30.
Lost Treasures?
Germans want to get back their historical items that were left in the territory of Poland after the Second World War. These are, for example, the collection of the Prussian Library (including manuscripts of famous German composers) that is now in the Jagiellonian Library in Cracow, and the collection of historic planes, which is now located in the Museum of the Polish Aviation (Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego) in Cracow. German treasures were not robbed, but taken over after they were found in the area of Poland left by the German troops. The problem of war treasures is very difficult to solve. Poland has even more serious demands addressed to Germany, as many Polish goods or historical sites were either stolen or destroyed by the Germans during the Second World War. It was, for instance, the Royal Castle in Warsaw. The castle was burnt and razed to the ground, and, as a result, numerous fantastic paintings by artists from all parts of the world have been lost forever. Similarly, Poland lost many other monuments and treasures in the war that had been started by Germans. Others were stolen and it remains unclear how to get them back. The value of these lost treasures is estimated at USD 20 million at least.
Bob Geldof in Warsaw
On September, 1, on the occasion of the anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War, Bob Geldof, a famous Irish musician, gave a concert at Teatralny Square in Warsaw. The artist is well-known for his fund-rising work, for which he was nominated to a Nobel Peace Prize, and also received an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II. In 1980s, Bob Geldof organized the concert entitled Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in London. The money raised at the concert went for aid for Africa. In 2005, the artist launched the action called Live 8, the aim of which was to draw the attention of the international public to the main problems of Africa, namely famine, poverty, unemployment and AIDS. The recital by Bob Geldof in Warsaw was a part of the concert entitled Music for Peace organized by Stołeczna Estrada.
Sofia Loren in a Film by a Polish Film Director
Krzysztof Zanussi, one of the best-known Polish film directors, is working on a new production telling the story of the life of Polish Queen Jadwiga (1374-1399). She was the wife of King Władysław Jagiełło, who started the great dynasty of the Jagiellonowie in Poland. When the members of this dynasty ruled the country, it became one of the biggest powers in Europe. Jadwiga was famous for her holiness (she was beatified by Pope John Paul II), and for her passion for studying. She founded the Jagiellonian University (Uniwersytet Jagielloński) in Cracow, which is one of the oldest universities in the world. The film is not the only production planned by Krzysztof Zanussi, though. He is to make a movie featuring Sofia Loren, on request of the star herself. This is to be a contemporary psychological detective story set in Switzerland.
Found in our archive:
Information published at 3 September 2007
