Poland is a place where many cultural events happen, no doubt about that! Throughout the years big Polish cities organized a bunch of festivals. Their range vary from smoky jazz sessions and students days to serious classical music performances. There are also all kinds of folklore and sailor festivals. Here are some of these great festivals
One of the oldest is Wratislavia Cantans (Check this website out for more details) an international music and fine arts festival organized in Wrocław since 1966. It’s creator was a conductor, director of Philharmonic and composer Andrzej Markowski. Thanks to this excellent artist Wrocław might see live performances of numerous masterpieces of oratorio music by Monteverdi, Bach, Händel and others. His successors (Tadeusz Strugala, Lidia Geringer d’Oedenberg and Andrzej Kosendiak) first extended festivals’ formula, including chamber concerts, recitals and the visual art presentations ballet, opera in concert or film version and instrumental works, to back once again to vocal music. This festival takes place every Autumn (this year September 6-19th). So if you are a connoisseurs of classical music, reserve yourself time in September to visit Poland!
Another great festival to see is “Warsaw Autumn” (Warszawska Jesień). It is a festival with a long tradition and a true witness to music history. It is the only contemporary music festival in Poland on an international scale and with an international status. This annual event was founded in 1956 by two composers and dedicated to contemporary music. The aim of this festival was and is to present new Polish and world music. Established in hard times of comunism was an island of creative freedom and art. It’s formula was always based on ecltecticism in its positive meaning. You can find there not only musical radicalism, references to tradition, past and culture that it’s connected with but also an audio-art or sound instalation. Nowadays there are books and musical records published after each edition. This year it takes place September 20th through September 30th.
Also a very important event is happening in Kraków: the Jewish Culture Festival. The First Festival took place in 1988 and it function as a field of dialogue between Jewish and Polish cultures. It was also a good occasion to talk about lost matter of Auschwitz and especially Auschwitz Concentration Camp back then. But next year brought a different adjustment and this festival became a place of meetings Jews and non-Jews from all over the world and sharing the living Jewish tradition. There are films, performances, presentations, and exhibitions to see. Presently there is also a possibility to participate in creating that tradition as there are organized workshops in Hasidic dance and song, Hebrew calligraphy, Jewish paper cutting and cooking. Every year festival is bringing more and more guests interested in celebrating life, Jewish culture and trying to build good relations.
If you ever took part in any of these festivals in Poland, please share it with us in comments below. I personally would love to hear about your experience!
