According to the event organisers, the concert promises to bring joy to anniversary revellers. Indeed, there is nothing quite like good music to elevate the spirits. Such music will be provided by composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Andrzej Smolik, Artistic Director of the Wielkopolska PLAYS! for the Museum concert, which will bring numerous famous artists to Hall 5 on the premises of the Poznań International Fair.
The event's exceptionally impressive line-up boasts Katarzyna Nosowska, Natalia Przybysz, Natalia Szroeder, Krzysztof Zalewski, Kev Fox, Piotr Rogucki, and Michał Wiraszko. Michał Wraszko will be joined by the spirited Poznań band Mucha. Audiences will be treated to twenty songs, each in a novel arrangement. In addition to solo performances, artists will form rare duets. The line-up promises a remarkable experience and performances that will keep audiences warm even on the most frigid December afternoons. Hosting the event will be Piotr Stelmach, a music journalist, long-standing editor of Polish Radio Three and co-founder of Radio357. Notably, the esteemed artist Tomasz Kuczma will take care of the visuals to complement the event.
Despite financial support from the Regional Government of Wielkopolska, concert admission of PLN 50 per person will be charged. No fancy invitations or VIP passes will be handed out. This is because, in line with the event's name, all ticket proceeds will go to support the construction of a new building of the Museum of the Wielkopolska Uprising of 1918-1919. The building will be located near the historic St. Adalbert Hill and the Cemetery of Prominent Wielkopolska Residents in Poznań, the final resting place of Gen. Stanisław Taczak, the first commander-in-chief of the Wielkopolska Uprising. The museum and its permanent exhibition are scheduled for completion by December 2026.
Why does the uprising hold such significance for the people of Wielkopolska? When it broke out on 27 December 1918, it set in motion a chain of events that ultimately led to the entire Wielkopolska region returning to Poland. To this day, the victory remains a source of pride and satisfaction.
Wielkopolska PLAYS! for the Museum is just a part of a larger celebration. On 16 December, the day before the concert, an "Uprising Town" filled with attractions will pop up on Poznań International Fair grounds. At 6pm, the band Luxtorpeda will take to the stage. Like every year, 26 December will see the arrival of Ignacy Jan Paderewski re-enacted at Poznań's Summer Train Station. The main festivities will unfold on 27 December, featuring a gathering in front of the monument to Wielkopolska Insurgents at 4:40pm and a concert of the Poznań Philharmonic in the University Auditorium at 7pm. The next day, the celebrations will shift to Warsaw. If you're still unsure where and how to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the Wielkopolska Uprising, visit www.27grudnia.pl.
Marta Szostak
translation: Krzysztof Kotkowski
Wielkopolska PLAYS! for the Museum, Poznań International Fair grounds, Hall 5, 6pm, tickets: PLN 50, www.27grudnia.pl
© Wydawnictwo Miejskie Posnania 2023