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Jazz experiments and innovative interpretation of classics – the meeting of poetry and music is one of the Miłosz Festival hallmarks. In June, on the eve of the event, we will discover the new sound of Shakespeare’s sonnets thanks to Stanisław Soyka and Cracow Singers band. The finale of the Festival on the 12th of June will surprise the audience with Jazzformance – a music show in which jazz will bring the creations of Witold Wirpsza back to life. This exceptional evening will feature Marcin and Bartłomiej Oleś, Piotr Orzechowski and actor Radosław Krzyżowski
The Shakespeare a capella concert will take place on the 8th of June in the Krakow Philharmonic, where Stanisław Soyka will be joined by young vocalists from Cracow Singers to present the new instalment of “Shakespeare’s Sonnets” project. The interpretation of the masterpieces by the British playwright and poet is a meeting of jazz improvisation and vocal art. The project was created by Stanisław Soyka and Karol Kusz, the leader of Cracow Singers who arranged the sonnets for a 16-piece band and a soloist.
Over 20 years ago, Soyka deemed the recording of the Sonnets a “step forward in composing”. The composer himself described the project as the “collision of the nerve of classical and jazz music, which in this case – and it is not always the case – created something very integral”. 400 years after the death of the Stratford poet, the artists will sing his sonnets a capella, to once again pay a tribute to the most beautiful of all instruments – the human voice.
The poetic journey during the 5th edition of the Miłosz Festival will be the finale concert – Jazzformance in the ICE Kraków. The “Jazzformance” is the effect of collaboration of 5 outstanding artists: Radosław Krzyżowski (idea / voice), Bartłomiej Oleś (drums), Marcin Oleś (upright bass), Piotr Orzechowski “Pianohooligan” (Fender piano), Dawid Kozłowski “Davideo” (video projections), inspired by the poems by Witold Wirpsza. The concert is yet another project by the City of Literature Foundation, co-organiser of the Miłosz Festival. Jazzformance creates a new form of a performance, which meets the needs of contemporary poetry as well as modern sensitivity. The voice of the actor reciting poems by Witold Wirpsza creates another melodic line of the spectacle, and the poet’s linguistic experiments become inspiration for jazz musicians, whose virtuosity is based on improvisations and connotations. The selection of Wirpsza’s texts by the musicians of the young generation confirms that his poetry is deeply embedded in contemporary contexts and serves as a tribute to the poet, who engaged in artistic discussions with Miłosz and Herbert.
Both concerts will take place as part of the 5th edition of Miłosz Festival, organised by the City of Krakow, Krakow Festival Office and City of Literature Foundation.
Tickets for the “Jazzformance” concert will be made available on the 13th of May at 10:00 a.m. at seven InfoKrakow points located at Powiśle 11, ICE Krakow at Konopnicka 17, Cloth Hall, Józefa 7, Wyspiański Pavilion, Szpitalna 25, Św. Jana 2 and at www.eventim.pl. Tickets cost 25 PLN.
Information about the “Shakespeare a capella” concert tickets will be published soo.
