This 14th edition of the FESTIVAL will focus on the cultural heritage of the Ashkenazic Jews of Central and Eastern Europe.
This year's edition of the FESTIVAL will build on the educational process pursued during past editions, which process has been directed at restoring and expanding knowledge and memory of the world of Jewish culture, at demonstrating how the Polish and Jewish cultures meet, intertwine and relate to each other, and at counteracting all forms of Anti-Semitism, prejudice and xenophobia.
The FESTIVAL will begin traditionally with Sabbath Morning Prayers at the Tempel Synagogue lead by Cantor Benzion Miller and the Choir of Cantors. The artistic program of the FESTIVAL will begin with the INAUGURAL CONCERT. Scheduled for June 27, 2004, this will feature the Three Cantors and the Choir of Cantors of the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem. The FESTIVAL will culminate with the SHALOM GRAND FINALE CONCERT, to be held on Szeroka (Wide Street).
Approximately one hundred twenty events will be held during the FESTIVAL's nine days. These will include concerts, lectures, exhibition, theatre performances, film screenings and book promotions.
Concerts featuring exceptional Jewish musicians have invariably constituted an essential part of each FESTIVAL. Performers at this year's event will include:
Cantor Benzion Miller (USA); Cantor Itzhak Meir Helfgot (Israel); Cantor Yaacov Motzen (Canada); the Choir of Cantors of the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem under the direction of Elli Jaffe; Erik Friedlander (USA, a collaborator of such greats as John Zorn) with his project "Grains of Paradise," to be performed with ten Krakow-based violinists; Michael Alpert (USA); Theodore Bikel (USA), one of the greatest singer-songwriters in the history of Jewish folk music; David Krakauer's Klezmer Madness!! (USA) with its newest project titled "Krakauer Live in Krakow"; The Klezmatics with Frank London (USA), one of New York's cult, avant-garde Klezmer bands; Chava Alberstein, Israel's most famous singer; Leopold Kozlowski (Krakow), known as the last Klezmer of Galicia; Muzsikas and Marta Sebestyen (Hungary), a band that draws on folk roots; and the Rainer Trio (Krakow), made up of outstanding musicians from Krakow.
A number of exhibitions will also be held during this 14th edition of the FESTIVAL. Among them are:
IN THE GARDENS OF EDEN - MARC CHAGALL - BIBLICAL SCENES (at the Czartoryski Museum, in cooperation with the National Museum in Krakow -
more information...), prints;
TRACES OF MEMORY, CHRIS SCHWARZ (Great Britain), photography;
a presentation of compositions inspired by "The Song of Salomon," composed by Marta Golab (Krakow);
an exhibition of paintings of Edward Inglot.
The film program this year is scheduled to include screenings of two very important documentaries: "Hiding and Seeking," directed by Menachem Daum and Oren Rudavsky, and "Hidden Children" by Aviva Slesin. Both films tell of human lives affected by dramatic, turbulent events, and both have proved popular among audiences and gained critical acclaim wherever they have been shown. The films' creators will be among the Festival's special guests and will meet with the public.
In addition, the Festival will feature screenings of Yale Strom's "Klezmer on Fish Street," Bernard Offen's "Proces B7815" / "Trial B7815" and Amram Nowak's Oscar-nominated film "Isaac in America," produced to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Isaac Bashevis Singer. Organizers have also planned a number of outdoor screenings in the center of the Kazimierz district."Klezmerski Rejs" / "Klezmer Cruise" is the title of an event that should prove to be one of the most interesting of the FESTIVAL. It will consist of a theatrical and musical boat ride with members of the French theatre troupe Beliashe at the helm. Unusually picturesque, the event will greatly enrich the atmosphere and mood of the district of Kazimierz throughout the FESTIVAL.
One of the most important things to occur during the FESTIVAL will be the premiere of a new adaptation of Simon Ansky's DYBBUK, directed by Awiszaj Hadari in the historic interior of Isaac's Synagogue. This will not only be a theatrical experience, but also, and perhaps foremost, a religious one.
Creative workshops are in many ways the heart of the FESTIVAL. They are both instructional and a manifestation of living Jewish tradition, aiding participants to learn about and better understand the "alphabet" of Jewish culture. This year's workshop program will include, but not be limited to, the following:
Yiddish language workshops (conducted in Polish and English), lead by Przemyslaw Piekarski and Julia Makosz (Krakow);
Workshops for children, lead by Ethel Szyc (Poland) and Monika Krajewska (Poland);
Decorative paper cutout workshops, lead by Anna Malecka-Beiersdorf (Krakow);
Jewish dancing workshops, lead by Leon Blank (Sweden);
Hassidic dancing workshops, lead by Michael Alpert and Jill Gellerman (USA);
Hassidic singing workshops, lead by Benzion Miller and Daniel Gildar (USA);
Klezmology workshops, lead by Alan Bern (USA);
Hebrew calligraphy workshops, lead by Ewa Gordon (Krakow);
Jewish cuisine workshops, lead by Bezalel Lappe (Great Britain) and chefs from the Klezmer-Hois and Alef restaurants.
Organizers continue to expand the FESTIVAL's educational dimension, which apart from lectures and workshops includes programs specially designed to acquaint festival audiences with the history of Polish Jews. These programs include tours of the "Seven Synagogues," the district of Kazimierz ("In Balaban's Footsteps"), local cemeteries and the area tat was formerly the Krakow Ghetto.
In addition to a series of lectures devoted to the works of I. B. Singer, this year's FESTIVAL will also include lectures in a new series titled "Basics of Judaism," designed to teach participants about Jewish holidays and traditions.
Organizer: Jewish Culture Festival Society
Director: Janusz Makuch
ul. Jozefa 36, 31-056 Krakow
fax: (+ 48 12) 431 24 27
tel.: (+48 12) 431 15 17, 431 15 35