KONCERT MARSZAŁKOWSKI

He was a major star of the Poznań stage and one of the artists who changed the face of Polish ballet. Avant-garde, bold, and ahead of his time – Conrad Drzewiecki has left his mark on Poznań's history. On the 100th anniversary of his birth, the Poznań Grand Theatre will present his most famous choreographies. As part of the annual Marshal's Concert, Poznań residents will have the opportunity to see a unique ballet performance dedicated to the artist's memory – on the stage of the Ballet and Orchestra of the Poznań Grand Theatre, four of his choreographies will be presented: "Eternal Songs" by Mieczysław Karłowicz, "Etude in B-flat minor" by Karol Szymanowski, "Adagio" by Tomaso Albinoni, and "Krasny" by Wojciech Kilara. The musical direction will be provided by Marta Kluczyńska. Conrad Drzewiecki began his artistic career in Poznań as a soloist in the Poznań Opera Ballet. After international success, he returned to the city in 1963 and took over the leadership of the Poznań ballet troupe, for which he created 25 choreographies. Drzewiecki's work opened up new possibilities for the language of movement, combining neoclassical technique with contemporary, jazz, stylized folk, theatre, and film dance. He drew inspiration from the music of composers from very different worlds, including Igor Stravinsky, Bela Bartok, Fryderyk Chopin, Krzysztof Penderecki, Mieczysław Karłowicz, and Wojciech Kilara. Drzewiecki changed the way ballet was thought of as a closed form, and developed the idea of a troupe where dance could be a self-sufficient, highly creative art form. This understanding of movement and a sense of modern choreography led to the creation of the independent Polish Dance Theatre – the Poznań Ballet. On September 12, 1973, the theatre began operations as the first of its kind in Poland. Under Drzewiecki's leadership, the PTT quickly became one of the most significant troupes in Europe. The 100th anniversary of Conrad Drzewiecki's birth is an opportunity to remember the visionary who co-created the artistic identity of the city and made it one of the most important centers of modern dance in Poland. The Marshal's Concert will allow the Poznań audience to return to the works of one of the most outstanding Polish choreographers and to experience his extraordinary energy and choreographic imagination once again.