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Premiere production at the National Opera in Warsaw

The much-anticipated historical epic "Kos" about Polish and American national hero Tadeusz Kościuszko had its theatrical debut this Friday.

 Unforgettable Ewa Podleś

Educational adventure game "Aviators – War in the Skies," a project developed by Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance, has recently premiered at the British Educational Training and Technology (Bett) Fair in London.

Jonathan Glazer’s "The Zone of Interest," a collaborative effort between the United Kingdom, Poland, and the United States, has garnered critical acclaim with five nominations at the Academy Awards.

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One of the most brilliant Polish sopranos of the 20th century

This week's Letter begins a discussion of life in small-town Poland, taking as its starting point the 80s hit "Smalltown Boy" by Bronski Beat. Among other things, we ask: What are the advantages of living in a Polish small town? Is there much to do? Does the Church dominate life? Do gay people need to run away from small towns to find happiness - as Bronski Beat's song suggests?

Internationally acclaimed Polish opera singer Ewa Podleś died aged 71 on Saturday, the Ruch Muzyczny magazine reported in a social media post.

Poland's current-affairs weekly "Polityka" has handed out its prestigious annual Passport Awards for the country's best artists and cultural innovators.

The composer died on January 13 at the age of 94

Meet the architect behind, among others, the Polish stand at the LIBER International Book Fair in Madrid, and learn about his designising process, where he takes inspiration from and and whether there is such a thing as too much inspiration.

How the history of the Teutonic Knights was exploited for political and ideological ends  

"Insurgent 1863," a new feature film about Poland's 1863 January Uprising against Russia, had its official premiere in Warsaw on Tuesday.

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A review of movies competing for the Polish Film Academy Awards, the "Eagles," this year, has kicked off in Warsaw.

The band which produced classics such as "Anna Maria" turns 59 

France's culture ministry has suspended the planned dismantling of a site linked to Polish-French double Noble Prize-winner Maria Skłodowska-Curie.

Actor and director Jesse Eisenberg has revealed how a trip to Poland  inspired his latest movie that explores a complicated relationship of two cousins as they embark on a tour of Poland  in memory of their grandmother.

Kraków’s Wawel castle has opened a new exhibition titled "Wawel Underground:  The Lapidarium” giving audiences the chance to visit the royal palace's cellars for the first time.

Dramatic soprano power

The first book in English documenting the phenomenon of Krzysztof Jackowski 

This week's Letter is the last one based on Kieślowski's 1979 Talking Heads and listens to the perspectives of the elderly. What kind of life will bring us happiness as our life draws to a close?

Welcome to a special Boxing Day edition of our pop music feature SOUNDCHECK

This Letter continues listening and responding to the interviewees from Kieślowski's 1979 Talking Heads. This week, we listen to young a middle aged adults who ask, "What is freedom?" and "Am I free?" - a subject that has returned dramatically to Polish public life with this year's Freedom March. 

A sprawling "cultural park" encompassing the historical core of Warsaw city center will be established under a resolution adopted by the City Council.

The historic Polish dance an Intangible Treasure of Humanity

A second Letter based on Kieślowski's 1979 documentary, Talking Heads, which takes look at Polish people of all ages at a key point in recent Polish history. This week: teenagers and the popular communist documentary-propaganda form - Chronicles.  

The National Museum in the Polish capital Warsaw has digitised 44,000 artefacts from its collection, including paintings, sculptures and coins, to make them available to a wider audience on a special website.    

The Christmas tree in Warsaw's Old Town is already aglow with myriad colours, mirroring the seasonal decorations along the Royal Route, which this year is themed on the 1960s and '70s.

An Asian wild cat from a zoo in the western Polish city of Poznań has gone viral with its fluffy fur and vivid facial expressions.

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The southern Polish city of Kraków has presented its annual awards to the most imaginative nativity scenes in the run-up to Christmas.

The famous Warsaw-based orchestra launches celebrations of its 40th anniversary

This week's Letter is the first of three inspired by Kieślowski's Talking Heads, one of his amazing documentary shorts that gives an immediate sense of life in Poland. 

Marisa Łempicka, the great granddaughter of the art deco artist Tamara Łempicka, was among the guests at the 20th edition of the Warsaw Art Fair, which brought together more than 100 leading modern art galleries, antique shops and auction houses from Poland and abroad. 

An exhibition celebrating Polish women's fight for their country and rights in the 19th and early 20th centuries has opened at Warsaw's Independence Museum.

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Poland's southwestern city of Wrocław played a pivotal role as the backdrop for the latest Hollywood blockbuster "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes."

The Guadalajara International Book Fair, a prominent event in the Spanish-language publishing world, has begun in Mexico, featuring the participation of Polish publishers.

Izabela Dłużyk, a sound recordist from the University of Gdańsk in northern Poland, has been included in the annual list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world, compiled by the British broadcaster BBC.

A new production of the "sacra rappresentazione" by the Opera in Łódź 

As the Christmas holiday season approaches, the streets and squares of Polish cities have already been adorned with Christmas ornaments and colorful lights.

Every year the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) recognizes eminent Indologists who have made outstanding contribution to Indian cause, by studying, teaching or doing research in India's philosophy, thought, history, art, culture, Indian languages and literature. The recipient of the Distinguished Indologist Award 2022 is professor Joanna Jurewicz, the chair of East Asia Studies at Warsaw University's Faculty of Oriental Studies.

The original soundtrack of the Polish Oscar hopeful "The Peasants" was performed at a high-profile concert in Warsaw over the weekend.

At the Innocent Sorcerers festival in Warsaw

The Innocent Sorcerers festival, focusing on Warsaw culture, kicked off in the Polish capital on Thursday.

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The 31st International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography opened in the north-central Polish city of Toruń at the weekend.

Tenth edition of international celebration of the legendary vocalist

Wrocław hosts  largest showcase of US independent cinema in Poland.

From Chopin's last piece to his first... twenty hours of music

More than 120 films are set to be screened during the 14th American Film Festival (AFF), which kicks off in the southwestern Polish city of Wrocław on Tuesday.

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Joanna Jurewicz, a professor at the University of Warsaw's Faculty of Oriental Studies and the chair of East Asia Studies, has received the Distinguished Indologist Award 2022 from the government of India.

One of the most renowned contemporary French writers, Marc Levy, whose latest book entitled "The Symphony of Monsters" is set in Ukraine, has visited Warsaw for the French Touch Gala.

The 26th annual International Book Fair kicks off in the southern Polish city of Kraków on Thursday, offering a diverse range of events, including meetings with authors, exhibitions, discussions, lectures, and film screenings.

Warsaw's Archaeology of Photography Foundation has put together an exhibition showcasing the works of Danuta Rago, a renowned Polish photographer from the communist era.

Looking at events from the vantage of a railway station.

In 1920, Japan helped save and took care of almost 800 Polish children orphaned by families exiled by the Russians to the remote Siberia region.

Warsaw's historic Iluzjon Cinema is set to host a festival of silent cinema starting on Thursday, delving into the rich history and artistry of silent movies.

The Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, one of Polish Radio’s resident ensembles which is based in the western city of Poznań, is celebrating its 55th anniversary with a concert in Warsaw on Wednesday.

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As October 17 marks the 174th anniversary of Frederic Chopin's death, the Holy Cross Church in Warsaw will host a special concert in his honor.

Second edition of an event which immediately caught the attention of public and critics

Meet the professor of the Warsaw University's Faculty of Oriental Studies, and the chair of East Asia Studies, who is the recipient of the Distinguished Indologist Award 2022.

A tour through a newly opened exhibition of masterpieces from the prestigious Museo Casa Natal Picasso in Malaga at the National Museum in Warsaw prepared to mark 75 years since Pablo Picasso's first and only visit to Poland. Tune in to find out the places he visited here in 1948, what inspired him and what gifted the National Museum! 

The personal archive of Polish Art Deco artist Tamara Łempicka has made its way to the National Museum in Lublin, eastern Poland.

An unusual temporary exhibition of Pablo Picasso's works has opened at the National Museum in Warsaw, offering visitors an opportunity to see masterpieces on loan from the prestigious Museo Casa Natal Picasso in Malaga, the artist's birthplace.

Poland's Culture Minister Piotr Gliński has signed an agreement for the establishment of the Polish Library Institute in Paris.

New production of "La Clemenza di Tito" at Baltic Opera is set in a time that's closer to news than history

Fifteen pianists, including three Poles, have qualified for the second round of the 2nd International Chopin Competition on Period Instruments in Warsaw.

On Sunday, the Marcin Wasilewski Trio, a world-famous Polish jazz band, performed at the Jarasum Jazz Festival in South Korea, one of the biggest jazz festivals in Asia and worldwide.

While there has been so much attention paid - in Poland, but also in the UK and USA - about which monuments to take down and which streets to rename because the "heroes" are no longer heroes, this audio Letter finds four great Polish musicians who should have more streets and monuments in their honour. 

On Sunday, October 8, the Marcin Wasilewski Trio, a world-famous Polish jazz band, will perform at the Jarasum Jazz Festival in South Korea, one of the biggest jazz festivals in Asia and worldwide.

Polish alternative folk duo Kirszenbaum started a concert tour of Japan earlier this week, playing local clubs and performing for the local public.

 "Cold days are over" exhibition at Wola Museum launches the 15th edition of the festival

Works by Polish sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz have inspired the latest collection of clothing by British fashion house Alexander McQueen.

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Director Ilze Kunga-Melgaile’s debut feature "My Freedom," about a Polish-Latvian human rights activist, has been picked as Latvia’s candidate for Best International Feature Film at the American Academy Awards.

 The musical based on the life of Nicolaus Copernicus opens at Kraków Opera

A new museum that will showcase Poland’s thousand-year-long history has opened in Warsaw. With over 45 thousand square meters, it is Poland's largest cultural facility.

Poland will be the Guest of Honour at the LIBER International Book Fair, the most important event for the publishing industry in Spain and the Spanish-speaking part of Latin America, that will take place in Madrid from 4-6 October.

Gather around a communal table and experience the Jewish joyous traditions of eating, drinking, singing, and talking. As the 6th edition of the Jewish Festival just kicked off in Warsaw,  it's a great opportunity to discover flavors, aromas, and customs of the culinary world that you might not be familiar with.

Britain’s ACE Cultural Tours is bringing next month a group of 25 art lovers to southern Poland to explore the arts of the last three decades preceding the re-emergence of independent Poland in 1918.

The new film by DK Welchman and Hugh Welchman, the makers of the internationally-acclaimed ‘Loving Vincent’, has been named Poland’s candidate for an Academy Award in the best foreign language film category.

The violinist played at the 13th edition of the flamboyant festival brought to Warsaw by Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra   

The Gdynia Festival of Polish films wound up on Saturday with the Gala Ceremony presenting the winners of the Golden and Silver Lions, the Main  Competition as well as individual awards.

This week's Letter compares two discussions taking place after traumatic experiences - Poland's free elections (such as the upcoming parliamentary elections), following wars and communism and the "plebiscite" in "Women Talking" (Sarah Polley's film based on a crime against humanity.)

We set the scene for a study tour of Poland by British art lovers.  

Movie critics, fans and film industry professionals have their eyes set on the Baltic city of Gdynia, where the ongoing 48th Polish Film Festival hit its halfway mark on Thursday morning.

Two significant artworks lost during World War II have been returned to Poland, Piotr Gliński, the minister of culture and national heritage, has announced.

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It's been 10 years since Poland's first escape room opened in the southwestern city of Wrocław in 2013.

Roma theatre brings back its non-replica production of the musical which rocked Warsaw in the spring 

Poland's National Institute of Museums, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, has announced a plan to create a new museum competence center called Panoptikum.

The Cross Culture Festival comes to Warsaw for the 19th time

The new film by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, the makers of the internationally-acclaimed ‘Loving Vincent’, had its premiere at  the Toronto International Film Festival last weekend and was met with a standing ovation.

This week's Letter takes a look and listen at some gossip - only the most refined gossip! - surrounding Warsaw's internationally famous Chopin Competition. 

For many years of the 20th century Poland's industrial designers created numerous groundbreaking objects and projects - but unfortunately, the circumstances of the communist era allowed only a handful of them to gain international recognition.

Four Warner brothers, founders of the Hollywood studio Warner Bros., have had their names embedded in the Avenue of Stars in the city of Łódź, central Poland.

A performance of Handel's "Messiah" at the Seminary Church in Warsaw's Old Town last week launched the Polish Royal Opera's Third Baroque Festival

The 31st edition of the European Heritage Days kicks off in Poland this weekend with over 1000 events scheduled around the country during the second and the third weekend of September.

Celebrating  the 45th anniversary of inscribing Krakow on the UNESCO World Heritage List

A performance of Handel's "Messiah" at the Carmelite Church in Warsaw's Old Town on Thursday launches the Polish Royal Opera's Third Baroque Festival.

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Ukrainian Music Days, a festival showcasing Ukrainian music from the 17th century to the present, has opened in Warsaw.

Four of Uzbekistan's top opinion leaders recently spent a few days in Poland on a study visit organised by the Polish foreign ministry.

Many places in Poland have tributes to famous locals in the form of seated statues  

A new museum has opened to the public earlier this month devoted to the history of the Holocaust. Called "The Voices of the Forgotten" it is the brainchild of a French British game developer Luc Bernard. Unlike other educational institutions of this kind, it is a virtual museum located in a Fortnite video game developed by Epic Games. 

Many places in Poland have tributes to famous locals in the form of seated statues  

The 20th "Singer's Warsaw" Jewish Culture Festival opened in the Polish capital at the weekend, featuring a lineup of international performers.

The annual Chopin and His Europe festival opens in Warsaw on Friday with a recital by Italian violin virtuoso Fabio Biondi.

British historian Roger Moorhouse’s book The Forgers. The Forgotten Story of the Holocaust's Most Audacious Rescue Operation has appeared on the UK market in a Penguin edition.

"Cyberpunk 2077" is a hit video game released in 2020 by Polish company CD Projekt. It has sold over 20 million copies worldwide.

The annual Lubliner Festival of Jewish Culture has started in Lublin, eastern Poland.

Polish Railways (PKP) have launched a new initiative to popularise book readership among its customers. 

Nurses, cooks, liaison officers—these are just a few examples of the roles that Polish women held during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising against the Germans.

Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski has confirmed he is working on a new book in the globally popular "Witcher" fantasy series. 

In 1913, a futurist manifesto called "L'Arte dei Rumori" (The Art of Noise), by Italian artist and inventor Luigi Russolo, stated that the industrial revolution had given people the capacity to appreciate "more complex sounds."

A visit to the Baltic sea resort which boasts the longest wooden pier (or 'molo' in Polish) in Europe and is celebrating 200th anniversary of its spa traditions this year. 

“The excellent foppery of the world”! is the motto, drawn from “King Lear”, of the 27th edition of the International Shakespeare Festival 

Polish rock band Sorry Boys have released a special album, “My heart in Warsaw,” to mark the upcoming 79th anniversary of the 1944 Warsaw Rising.

Unlike American popular music, protest songs have not found a permament place among Polish hits. Why?

A visit to a place where you can try your hand at controlling and commanding a watercraft, reloading goods in the port as well as underwater bathyscaphe voyages. 

Celebrations are in full swing to mark the post-war reconstruction of Warsaw's Old Town.