Major international classical music competitions evoke strong emotions in both participants and observers. They offer winners cash prizes, concert commissions, and recording contracts; provide commentators ample material for reflection and discussion; and deliver unforgettable aesthetic experiences to audiences. One of the oldest public events of this kind is the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, which…
He died on 19 October 1813 in the Battle of Leipzig – the decisive Battle of the Nations. The battle decided the fall of the First French Empire, and destroyed many hopes and dreams of reestablishing a sovereign Polish state in Europe. Józef Poniatowski, until the final days of his life, refused even the thought…
He spent the last months of his life in an apartment in the Royal Castle in Warsaw provided by the president. It was a truly unique way to honor this extraordinary writer, making Żeromski equal to the kings who once ruled the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Stefan Żeromski certainly deserved such honors. by Tomasz Starzewski Żeromski…
Helena Modjeska (or rather: Modrzejewska) became a theater legend during her lifetime. An outstanding actress and Polish patriot, she was widely esteemed and her talent admired. by Piotr Bejrowski Born on 12 October 1840 in Krakow, Jadwiga Helena Mise was the illegitimate daughter of the wealthy widow Józefa Benda. From an early age, she…
Maximilian Maria Kolbe is a symbol of faith and sacrifice for many Poles. His decision to sacrifice his life for a fellow prisoner is a heroic example of humanity during inhuman times. by Piotr Abryszeński As an adult, Maximilian Kolbe recalled that when he was a boy he had experienced a vision of the…
In 2004, Igor Mitoraj’s colossal, fractured heads stood among the ancient columns of the Roman Forum, giving many the sense that time had come full circle. His Eros Bendato – a monumental, bandaged face, crisscrossed with deep scratches and cracks – gazed upon the tourists with an air of eternal pain, as if bearing witness…
