LET'S EXPLORE POLAND

Copyright 1995 by the AngloPol Corporation

This series will take us through the cities, towns, villages and countryside of Poland, 
as well as give us insights into the rich history and culture of the nation.

Part 1

POLAND'S DIVERSE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE

This short stroll around the cultural map of Poland can only provide the briefest of introductions to the rich diversity of Polish culture, whose contemporary international calling cards are the music of Krzysztof Penderecki and Witold Lutoslawski, the cinema of Andrzej Wajda, Krzysztof Zanussi and Krzysztof Kieslowski, the theater of Tadeusz Kantor, and the poetry and essays of Czeslaw Milosz, which have gained broader renown since the latter won the Nobel Prize.

The Poland that awaits those with an interest in culture is as multicolored as the rainbow: a Poland of museums and of festivals, of folklore, music and theater.

Less than ten kilometers separates Sochaczew, a town which is not a great tourist attraction, from the village of several dozen inhabitants named Zelazowa Wola, which at first glance might seem no different from all the other villages in the locality. Yet its name is known by connoisseurs of music from Tokyo to San Francisco, from Stockholm to Buenos Aires. Even residents of the antipodes sometimes travel here specially just to listen to Chopin's polonaises and mazurkas in his family manor, thus to appreciate the genius loci, to reach to the roots of the universal genius of this music and thereby better to grasp its secrets.

While the music lover might make his destination Zelazowa Wola, for the enthusiast of Gothic sculpture it could be the Gothic altar by Wit Stwosz in the Church of St. Mary's in Krakow, while someone seeking to explore all the styles of 20th century painting might set out for the Museum of Art in Lodz. This geographical list could be extended at great length. However, the mosaic of Polish culture has so many different hues and shades of color that a selection has to be made, although each selection and each list chosen must of necessity be a subjective one, random and controversial.

Nevertheless, there are certain areas of Poland's cultural map that really require no selection--they select themselves. These constitute cities which clearly stand out among the rest. Poland's capital of Warsaw is undoubtedly one such city, with its numerous museums and galleries, its dramatic theaters, opera and light opera, its National Philharmonic and its film studio, its Congress Hall seating two and a half thousand, and tens of smaller cultural institutions and attractions. Rivaling Warsaw for cultural preeminence is Krakow. This is not just a great center of historical buildings and museums, but also a city of theaters, art galleries and other places as specifically unique as the "Piwnica pod Baranami" [Sheep's Cellar] cabaret.

The next significant city in the country's cultural landscape, Poznan, is sometimes dubbed "the musical capital of Poland". It is only here, in the center of the Wielkopolska region, that we find such musical attractions as two world-famous boys' choirs, together with a Philharmonic, opera and music theater, the only Museum of Musical Instruments in the country, and festivals of such importance as the Poznan Musical Spring, the Festival of Polish Opera and Ballet, and the Henryk Wieniawski International Competition for violinists, composers and flutists.

Wroclaw can also boast considerable cultural achievements. Settled after the war in large measure by Poles from Lwow and other eastern regions then incorporated into the Soviet Union (now forming part of the Ukraine), the city assumed much of the cultural traditions that had characterized prewar Polish Lwow. It has five dramatic theaters and a famous pantomime theater, a philharmonic, opera and light opera, and a feature film studio which, together with the studio in Lodz, exerts a determining influence on the Polish cinema. The festivals held in Wroclaw also enjoy wide recognition: the Festival of Old Masters and Organ Music, the oratorio and cantata festival "Vratislavia Cantans", and festivals of Polish contemporary music, Polish contemporary arts and of student theater groups.

The Baltic Tri-City combination of Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia also plays a major role in Poland's cultural life. In addition to its historical buildings, Gdansk is famed not only for its splendid museums, theaters, light opera, philharmonic and concerts on the renowned organ of Oliwa Cathedral, but also for the artistic vibrancy of its student community. Sopot is above all the Forest Opera--the scene of large-scale popular music events broadcast on television to many other countries of Europe; while Gdynia has its Music Theater, the first in Poland to stage the rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar," complementing its production of "Fiddler on the Roof," one that has enjoyed unflagging popularity for years.

However, in traveling about Poland, it is also worth visiting smaller towns, frequently remote from the great centers of culture, which--thanks to the initiative shown by a group of devotees, sometimes even of individuals--have been supplementing the country's cultural activities in interesting ways. One example here is the town of Agow, picturesquely situated between two lakes, whose medieval castle is the annual host of the Lubusz Film Summer, while another, a production of Mozart at the Warsaw Chamber Opera is Bytow, a town that cultivates the traditions of Kashubian folklore. A similar role is played by Golub-Dobrzyri, the seat of an old bishopric, which received its town charter back in the 13th century, but which decreased in size and fell into neglect after World War II, becoming almost totally forgotten. The town's appeal to tourists rose once again, however, following the restoration of the Gothic-cum-Renaissance castle of the Polish and Swedish princess Anna Vasa, subsequently converted into a hotel. This has become the scene of interesting and frequent events, such as the Orators' Competition for Tourist Guides, the annual Medieval Tournament, crossbow competitions, and fox chases on horseback for the St. Hubert Trophy.

Alternatively, we can look at the map of Poland from a different angle, pinpointing the most Important cultural events rather than particular towns or cities. The annual musical calendar is rich and varied. Both the Karol Szymanowski Music Festival, held in Zakopane in July, and the "Warsaw Autumn" Festival of Contemporary Music, held in September, are internationally renowned and attract artists of international repute. On the other hand, events of a more local character include the Paderewski Music Encounters, which take place from the end of June to August at Kasna Dolna in Tarnow, or the Autumn Camerata at the turn of September and October in Kalisz, presenting the works of Slavic composers.

Popular music events comprise both well-known ones such as "Jazz on the River Oder," held at the beginning of May in Wroclaw, or the Polish Song Festival in Opole in June, and ones that have yet to obtain broader recognition, such as "Jazz on the Eastern Border" organized at the end of May in Zamosc, or July's Festival of French Song in Lublin.

All the festivals and events mentioned here represent solely a tiny fraction of the great wealth of events that take place in Poland's cities, towns and villages. At the same time, they constitute a form of encouragement to take a good look at the calendar of events issued by the Ministry of Culture and the Arts, which provides practical information on what will be happening when and where. However, one reservation is necessary here. The reduction or removal of subsidies to culture is forcing those who organize these events to seek new sponsors or gather the necessary funds themselves. Unfortunately, this does not always prove possible. As a result, it is not certain whether all of the events listed in the calendar--even those with long traditions--will in fact be continued.