Zakopane pays tribute to Szymanowski
PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea
27.07.2015 09:46
A festival dedicated to Karol Szymanowski (1885-1937) has opened in the Polish resort of Zakopane with a concert featuring a two-piano version of the ballet “Harnasie”.
Jánošík was a famous harnaś leader. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The ballet "Harnasie" was performed by Joanna Domanska and Andrzej Tatarski. Inspired by Polish highland folklore, the ballet depicts the abduction of a bride on her wedding day by Harnaś, leader of a band of highland robbers.
It was premiered in Prague in 1935 and produced with great success in Paris a year later.
The programme of the festival includes chamber and orchestral concerts as well as performances by Polish and Ukrainian folk bands. Featured musicians come from Poland, Canada, the Czech Republic and Italy.
Szymanowski made numerous visits to the southern Polish town of Zakopane and spent the final years of his life there in a rented house, Villa Atma, one of the finest example of the Tatra highlanders style in Polish architecture.
It is now a museum dedicated to Szymanowski’s life and work, with a wide selection of the composer’s photos, manuscripts, letters and memorabilia.
Szymanowski’s opera “King Roger” was produced in May at the Royal Opera House in London. (mk/rg/rk)