Pools EU voorzitterschap ingehuldigd in Warschau (en)

Four music stages and magnificent fireworks highlighted inauguration of Presidency in Poland’s capital.

Warsaw prepared attractions for inhabitants of all ages who demonstrate various interests. The youngest ones took part in EUgenius character-themed games and activities, whilst music enthusiasts could choose from experimental, classical, European and rock music.

At noon, Warsaw’s Mariensztat was transformed into a creative playground where children got an opportunity to ignite their imagination to uncover the mystery of the senses. Forming the face of EUgenius, installations designed by Polish artists were assembled in the square. Children could enter and ascend the NOSE, pull the HAIR, twist the MOUSTACHE, paint the LIPS, look deep into the EYES to see if EUgenius looks to be a decent sort. After briefly resting in his giant HANDS, they could pop into his EAR and listen to the music. An additional highlight were concerts performed by Small Instruments, the Czech band DVA, and Denmark’s Efeterkids project, which appeared on the stage together with the Limikulu children’s choir. The culminating highlight of the day was a performance of Asia Mina (Asia Bronislawska), who teamed up with a forty-person brass orchestra of the Karol Szymanowski State Secondary Music School in Katowice to present tunes from the premiere “Run Out!” album.

Warsaw’s New Town Marketplace, part of the city’s historic Old Town, was the venue of a EUharmony concert featuring artists from nearly every corner of Europe. The bill included the Sweden’s Hedningarna music band and the Romanian group Mahala Rai Banda. The performances of musicians presenting their distinct national tunes met with enthusiastic audience feedback. Additional attractions included the sampling of Hungarian and Belarusian cuisine. The Copernicus Science Centre and the hall of the disused heat and power plants in Powisle district were the scene of an experimental music fest.

The grand final

The culminating event celebrating the beginning of Poland’s EU Council Presidency was the concert TU Warszawa (Here Warsaw), staged in Plac Defilad (Parade Square). Despite capricious weather, the event attracted thousands of people.

Warsaw residents who came to see the concerts garnered “Roman’s masks”. Inspired by Picasso painting, these gadgets were given away as a part of the Attention Culture project rolled out by the National Audiovisual Institute. Masks were deployed in a short happening at the beginning of the concert when all members of the audience simultaneously donned the artistic masks.

At 10 pm sharp, the concert kicked off with a screening of Tomasz Baginski’s movie promoting the Polish Presidency. Later, Polish and foreign artists performed on a stage set up in front of the Palace of Culture and Science. The first part of the concert featured classical, film and jazz music. The audience listened to compositions by Frederick Chopin, Andrzej Kurylewicz and Wojciech Kilar, performed by Leszek Mozdzer and the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra. Selected pieces were illustrated with photographs of landmark events of recent Polish history screened on giant displays. These included the signing of Gdansk Accords, the Round Table and the pilgrimages of John Paul II.

Dominated by pop music, the second part of the concert presented Perfect, Myslovitz, and Kapela ze Wsi Warszawa (Warsaw Village Band) as well as foreign artists singing their original tunes plus English covers of Polish hits. Cranberries’ lead singer Dolores O’Riodan captivated the audience with her emotional performance of Edyta Bartosiewicz’s Sklamalam (I Lied), whilst Kenny G swayed the crowd with a charismatic version of Maryla Rodowicz’s Niech zyje bal (Long Live the Ball). Manhattan Transfer revamped Ewa Bem’s Moje serce to jest muzyk (My Heart is a Musician), and soul and R&B star Angie Stone sang the reggae version of Daab’s W moim ogrodzie (In My Garden). The bill was rounded out by Michael Bolton who sang the classic tune Szczesliwej drogi juz czas (The Time for a Lucky Way Has Come).

Shortly before one o’clock, Warsaw inhabitants could gasp in awe at a magnificent fireworks display, accompanied by Wojciech Kilar’s music. The Palace of Culture and Science was temporarily ‘engulfed in flames’, only to disappear a while later into the darkness. The final performance of the concert was given by a British trip-hop legend Tricky.