The healing power of culture – Pawlik, KAYAH, Stenka, Młynarski during the 17th Jewish Culture Festival Singer’s Warsaw

Despite the turbulence caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the preparations for this year’s edition of the Singer’s Warsaw Festival are at full steam.

The culture will hold an important, almost healing role in our return to normality, therefore, we decided that we want to organize another edition of the Festival. We realize that it will not be an easy task but we have faith in this project and its idea to connect people, says Iza Teodorkiewicz, Deputy Director responsible for the Festival’s program.

Live events and shows will be more intimate than in previous years. Our concerts and shows will be presented on the small Warsaw’s club stages, in the Nożyk Synagogue, on the Summer Stage of the Jewish Theatre and traditionally in Kwadrat Theatre.  Organizers will focus on the intimacy of those venues because of the sanitary restrictions in place as well as online broadcasting to bring the Festival’s shows to almost every place in the world.

Our Festival has always offered a wide array of cultural events. And this year will be no different. The program will include a lot of Warsaw, pre-war vibes reminding us about the genius Jewish artists of the 20^th century. Old songs in the inspiring modern interpretations by, among others, Jan Młynarski and Combo Group or the concert Mieczysław Fogg – co nam zostało z tamtych lat performed by Retro Orchestra.

During this year’s Festival, KROKE band will present their latest project and the repertoire from their album Rejwach. It will include the music score composed for the Jewish Theatre’s show of the same title and the pieces written for the movies, such as El anonimo caronte (directed by Toni Bestard), Inland Empire (directed by David Lynch).

During the traditional, opening cantorial concert, we will hear Yoni Rose from Germany, so appreciated by Warsaw audience, accompanied on-line by: Yaakov “Yanky” Lemmer/US/ and Nachman Turgeman/IL/

Timeless hits, including Rodzynki z migdałami, Rebeka, Mein jidisze Mame, Tak jak malował Pan Chagall will be performed by an excellent violinist, Vadim Brodski.

This year, similarly to the previous editions, we are expecting a very diverse jazz program with a variety of venues. Hence, Francesco Bruno, Italian guitarist, and composer.  The artist will perform with three young Polish ensembles: Jerzy Małek Trio, Szymon Łukowski Trio, and Jachna/Kądziela/Gwadera group. Another wonderful guest will be Liudas Mockūnas, a Lithuanian saxophone player and eclectic composer, combining in his work jazz and classical music. Together with Mikołaj Trzaska, they will present a unique music project prepared specifically for this year’s Festival. We will be honored by the performance of a true celebrity, Grammy Award winner, pianist, and composer, Włodek Pawlik.

There will also be a great deal of classical music. We have the pleasure to announce today an unusual concert, Królewska harfa – The Royal Harp, featuring, among others, a remarkable Polish harpist, Małgorzata Zalewska- Guthman.

Singer’s Warsaw means theatre. First of all, Warsaw’s Jewish Theatre, presenting its best shows every single year. This year, our audience will have a chance to watch: Szosza by Singer, directed by Karolina Kirsz, PeKiN by Agata Biziuk, or Golda’s Terrace by Marta Miłoszewska.

In 2020, the Festival’s main venue moves from Grzybowski Square to Praga Koneser Center. The Klezmers’ Night will deliver Yiddish songs performed by Karsten Troyke, Sharon Brauner from Germany, and Presburger Klezmer Band from Slovakia. During the finale concert, we will see KAYAH & Friends.

This special edition of the Festival will offer live and on-line the well-known and popular meetings with writers and artists, including Danuta Stenka and Zbigniew Zamachowski, as well as book promotions, such as the meeting dedicated to the book “Rozproszony kontakt. Fotografie z Archiwum Ringelbluma na nowo odczytane [Dispersed contact. Photographs from Ringelblum’s Archive revisited”, dedicated to the photos from Ringelblum’s Archive and hosted by Agnieszka Obszańska, film screenings, educational walks around Warsaw, debates and workshops.

More details at www.shalom.org.pl and facebook.com/FestiwalWarszawaSingera