Mazowsze;
Credit: Embassy of Poland in Luxembourg
The Embassy of Poland in Luxembourg has announced details of its upcoming gala concert, which will mark the grand finale of a year filled with activities celebrating the centenary of diplomatic relations between the Grand Duchy and Poland.
World-famous folk dance group Mazowsze will perform at the Conservatoire de la Ville de Luxembourg on Thursday 11 November 2021, on the occasion of Poland's Independence Day. The event is under the joint patronage of His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Poland's President Andrzej Duda.
Mazowsze was founded in 1948 and has since become one of the world's largest song and dance ensembles. The group, composed of 150 professional artists, has played more than 9,000 concerts in over 50 countries for 27 million spectators. Its repertoire includes dances from over 40 regions of Poland and over 500 songs, not only in Polish but also in the languages of each country the ensemble has visited.
On top of the songs to which the group dances, the choir also performs Christmas carols, Easter, Marian and patriotic songs, as well as classical compositions such as Mozart's Requiem and Coronation Mass, Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, Chopin's pieces and Moniuszko's Third Litany of the Gate of Dawn.
"Everyday rehearsals for the whole ensemble are combined with individual classes in singing, vocal resonance training, and diction exercises", explained Krzysztof Kurlej, manager of Mazowsze. "In addition, the choir members also take part in ballet classes which is why concert spectators perceive the singers and dancers as a whole".
The group is now returning to Luxembourg after more than 30 years to highlight the growing importance of the Polish community, with close to 5,000 nationals currently living in the Grand Duchy.
Mazowsze's concert completes this year's celebrations, marking 100 years since Luxembourg and Poland formally established relations on 18 April 1921. The Polish Embassy kicked off the centenary celebrations in May with a video highlighting essential links the countries have developed. It also launched a website (polonais.lu) presenting prominent Poles active in the Grand Duchy.
In September, the Embassy launched an open-air photo exhibition in Place de Strasbourg, together with the City of Luxembourg. On Twitter, the Embassy is running a campaign with the hashtag #celebrating100.
"Mazowsze tours around the world – from Japan to the US. However, the group decided to perform in Luxembourg to mark the importance of our bilateral relations", said Piotr Wojtczak, Poland's Ambassador to Luxembourg.
Mazowsze has already performed in Luxembourg on several occasions, with the last concert in the Grand Duchy in 1987, before Poland joined the European Union (EU). Since then, relations between the two nations have significantly accelerated. As well as being home to a significant Polish minority, the Grand Duchy is the third-largest direct investor in Poland, having invested over €24 billion in 2019, while commercial exchange topped €750 million. The countries also share well-established relations in the financial sector, industrial production, the space sector, logistics and fintech, among others.
Tickets for the gala concert cost €10, with a limited number remaining. CovidCheck rules apply. For further information, visit http://www.conservatoire.lu/?events=choeur-ballet-et-orchestre-national-de-chants-et-danses-populaires-mazowsze.
