We cordially invite everyone to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of St. John Paul II
and on
On the 100th anniversary of the birth of Karol Wojtyła, artists from Poland, the United States, England, Germany, Korea, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, Turkey and Switzerland come together to pay tribute to the Great Pole. The concert program, among others, includes: Ave Maria by F. Schubert in a great performance by Angel Joy Blue, Metropolitan Opera soloists known for their eponymous role of Bess in Porgy & Bess G. Gershwin, Panis Angelicus and Mozart’s Laudate Dominum performed by Metropolitan Opera soloists MaryAnn McCormick and Lisette Oropes, an outstanding artist who plays Violetta in G. Verdi’s Traviat and Manon in Opera by J. Massenet. Also in the program includes: Ave Maria from Othello G. Verdi’s Opera performed by Latonia Moore, who plays Aida’s lead role in the Metropolitan Opera, romantic Meditation from Thais J. Massenet’s opera starring Dagmara Dryl, the first soloist of the Polish National Ballet, Lamb of God performed by Brandie Sutton with Damien Sneed who was providing the accompaniment. Damien Sneed has collaborated with such stars as Aretha Franklin, Jessye Norman, Wynton Marsalis, Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross. The concert feature also soloists from the Polish National Opera: Edyta Piasecka singing the Nai Song by S. Moniuszko, Aleksandra Olczyk sings Pie Jesu and Rafał Bartmiński sings rarely performed piece “Pray, o my soul” from the Polish Mass of Jan Maklakiewicz.
The concert features excellent musicians, including Veriko Tchumburidze, winner of the first prize of the last H. Wieniawski International Violin Competition, famous violinist Richard Lin, among others the winner of the first prize in the Violin Competition in Minneapolis, Piotr Pławner, Janusz Wawrowski, and Adam Palma, who performs Polonez in A major by F. Chopin on guitar.
The music of F. Chopin performed by Szymon Nehring in the beautiful scenery of the Royal Castle at the Wawel provides a frame for the concert. Over here, in Krakow the young Karol Wojtyła was educated at the Seminary later on, after many years to become the head of the Catholic Church. An interesting piece of the concert is the first performance of the aria from the Hiob Opera by Krzesimir Dębski written on the basis of the drama of Karol Wojtyła, commissioned by the Polish Royal Opera.
This event happened under the auspices of His Eminence Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, His Excellency Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, PKEP, the John Paul II Foundation in Rome, the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York, the Józef Piłsudski Institute of America and the Headquarters of Polish Education Schools in America.
The audience is greeted and blessed by Archbishop Stanislaw Gądecki, President of the Polish Episcopal Conference (KEP) and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York. The concert is the first project on such a large scale that connects Poles all over the world.
Sincerely Yours
Jolanta Wodiczko
President and CEO
Foundation for Culture and Art
