The IMAGINE Culture without Borders Music Festival opened on Thursday, August 14, in Kazimierz Dolny with the world premiere of a one-act opera by American composer William Goldstein. The international event, dedicated to fostering dialogue between Polish and Jewish cultures, takes place in one of Poland’s most important historic centers of Jewish life.
“We want to showcase the century-long openness of Polish culture towards Jewish culture,” said Princess Irina zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, co-organizer of the festival. “The name of our festival, IMAGINE Culture without Borders, reflects the kind of world we want to see today. This openness has always been important in the Lublin region and Kazimierz Dolny,” she added, noting that music is a universal language that touches the heart.
Ewa Wolna, Chair of the Education, Culture, Physical Culture and Tourism Committee of the Lublin Regional Government, stressed that “in times when borders are more often built than dismantled, such events are critical.”
Crossing cultural and traditional borders
The festival’s opening day featured a combination of musical and visual arts. Alongside the opera premiere, visitors could see the opening of Smoke (Dym), an exhibition of intricate paper cut-outs inspired by Polish and Jewish folk motifs from the Lublin region.
World premiere of a one-act opera
The inaugural concert featured soprano Ewa Leszczyńska, baritone Łukasz Hajduczenia, and a vocal quartet from the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) Choir, prepared by Andrzej Gładysz. They were accompanied by musicians from the Lublin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Lilianna Krych. The Philharmonic was also a concert partner.
Attending the concert on behalf of KUL’s Rector was Fr. Dr. Paweł Rytel-Andrianik, Director of KUL’s Abraham J. Heschel Center for Catholic-Jewish Relations and Head of the Polish Section of Vatican News, along with Fr. Prof. Mirosław Wróbel and Michał Młodzikowski, Director of KUL’s General Office.
Second edition in historic Kazimierz Dolny
The festival runs until August 17, with all events free of charge. The complete program is available at culturewithoutborders.eu. The Catholic University of Lublin is a partner of the event.
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