World Premiere of "Helena" by Marta Ojrzynska at Magicopolis, May 19, 2019 at 7:30 p.m.

Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club in Los Angeles is pleased to invite its members and guests to the World Premiere of a new solo play by actress-writer, Marta Ojrzynska, entitled "Helena" and dedicated to our patron, Helena Modjeska.  The premiere will take place at Magicopolis Theater in Santa Monica, CA  (1418 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401 ) on Sunday, May 19, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. 

Free to members, $30 guests, $15 students. RVSP to Maja Trochimczyk, President, prezes@modjeska.org. Payment online Paypal prezes@modjeska.org, lub czeki poczta do Modjeska Club (payable to Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club in Los Angeles), PO Box 4288, Sunland CA 91041-4288.

Photo by Emi Morell

The play HELENA is a story about an outstanding woman, liberated, beautiful, brave, with great ambitions. This artist, who was the first Polish theater star in the nineteenth century, went abroad and achieved a stunning success. It is a story about art, difficult family life, struggle for survival, huge determination, success, love but also great loneliness and longing. Based on information from books: "Truly Beautiful" by Izrael Zurli, Józef Szczublewski's "Żywot Modrzejewskiej" (Warsaw: PIW, 1975) and Beth Holmgren's "Starring Madame Modjeska" (2010), as well as letters by Helena Modjeska (Modrzejewska).

Still from a video by Bartosz Nalazek

As Marta Ojrzynska writes: "I am trying to answer the question of who would such a great actress be today and how where artistic path would lead her in the era of television, film, and social networking. What is the actor's profession and what challenges we face today? Modjeska achieved enormous success in England and America, I look at how we perceive Modjeska in California, and how her history and achievements function in Poland."

Photo by Emi Morell

"Until today, no native artist has managed to make such a staggering world career as the actress Helena Modjeska. She was one of the most hardworking stars of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. She performed on stage for 46 years, she appeared in over 300 different cities around the world, in total she gave over 6,000 performances, playing over 300 characters."

"There are people who have flowers in their hands and fade from touch, and I belong to them as well.
Every pleasure ceases to be a real pleasure at the moment when I start to taste it.
Every ray of light darkens when I smile to its brightness.
At one point I was living as if only on stage and only there I was really myself.
In my private life I became more tense, I wanted to keep everything under control.
On the stage I felt happiness and freedom."

Play and direction: Marta Ojrzyńska
Starring: Marta Ojrzyńska
Costumes: Marta Ojrzyńska
Lighting design: Bartosz Nalazek

The spectacle uses video materials and works by Ignacy Jan Paderewski.

Photo by Emi Morell

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

MARTA OJRZYNSKA, ACTRESS-WRITER

Marta Ojrzynska is a Polish actress working in the field of drama theatre, performance, visual arts and film. She studied at the Polish Drama School in Cracow and The Institut del Theatre in Barcelona. Since 2005, Marta has been performing at the prestigious National Stary Theatre in Cracow and also at The New Theatre of Krzysztof Warlikowski and the Grand Theatre in Warsaw. Her experience involves working with the most popular, avant-garde, theatre directors such as Krystian Lupa (Factory 2), Michal Borczuch ( Lulu, Werter, Apocalypse),Krzysztof Garbaczewski ( Solarize, Poczet Królów Polskich, Kamienne niebo zamiast gwiazd), Monika Strzępka ( Bitwa Warszawska 1920, Nie Boska Komedia) and Lukasz Twarkowski ( Akropolis). Marta collaborated with renown painter and filmmaker Wilhelm Sasnal on his movie ’Swineherd’.She also directed two theatre plays - Molly B. based on Ulisses by James Joyce and Brzeg -Opole for which Marta has won many theatre awards.

                           

Awards

• 2004: Łódź – Award for role Klacz in Nierządy based on The Balcony by Genet, XXII Festival of Theater Schools
• 2004: Kalisz– Main Prize of Youth Jury for role in diploma performanes: Irina in Studies of Chekhov, based on Three Sisters, and Klacz in Nierządy, XLIV Kaliskie Spotkania Teatralne
• 2006: Warszawa– First Prize  (shared with Joanna Drozda) for her own play Brzeg – Opole and  II Prize for the role of Kasia in the same play, from XII Ogólnopolski Konkurs na Wystawienie Polskiej Sztuki Współczesnej
• 2008: Kraków – Grand Prix for the role of Andrea Feldman in Factory 2 dir Krystian Lupa, during the International Festival Divine Commedy (Międzynarodowym Festiwalu Teatralnym Boska Komedia)
• 2013: Wrocław – Prize "Warto" in the category of  Theater awarded by the Wroclaw edition of the Gazeta Wyborczą
• 2015: Stanisław Wyspiański Prize    

Film

2019 |Hurra!| dir. Agnieszka Polska| role: Ilse
2019 |His Mother| dir.Dawid Krepski| role: Mother /short/
2019 |Centenery of the guilty| dir. Piotr Trzaskalski | role: Halina Regulska
2018 |The Path of freedom| dir. Maciej Migas| role: Suffragist
2018 |Silaczki| dir.Marta Dzido | role: Justyna Budzinska-Tylicka
2018 |Fisheye| dir. Michał Szczęśniak| role: Małgorzata
2018 |Love is everything| dir. Michał Kwieciński| role: Justyna
2018 |Everything about your mother| dir.Michal Borczuch      role:Penelopa
2017 |NIE MA| Teatr TV| dir. Natalia Sołtysik| role: Kaśka
2016 |Artists| dir. Monika Strzępka| role: Joanna Szpak
2016 | Second chance | dir. Michał Gazda, Łukasz Kośmicki| role: Prosecutor
2015 |Circus Maximus| dir. Bartosz Kulas| role:  Kobieta Guma /short/
2015 |My place| dir. Anna Morawiec| role: Gosia /short/
2015 |Zgaga| dir. Katarzyna Szyngiera| role: Kuratorka
2015 |Chemistry| dir. Bartek Prokopowicz
2014 |Mother's house| dir. Zuzanna Plisz| role: Mother /short/
2014 |Who is listening Adriana L.?| role: Marysia /short/
2014 |Sama slodycz| dir. Michal Rogalski| role: Wendy
2014 |Fifth stadium| dir. Tomasz Konecki| role: Ala
2013 |Recipe for life| dir. Agnieszka Pilaszewska| role: Participant in course
2012 |Grandfather| dir. J.Pawluskiewicz & M.Poplawska| role: Wanda
2010 |Mistyfication| dir. Jacek Koprowicz| role: Prostitute
2009-2010 |Majka| Tv series| role: Sabina
2008 |Swineherd| dir. Wilhelm Sasnal| role: Julka
2007 |Big World| dir. Adrian Glass| role: Weronika
2006 |Brzeg – Opole| dir. Lukasz Barczyk| role: Kasia
2007 and 2005 |Officer| dir. Maciej Dejczer| role: Elwira Golab
2004 |Exam in life| dir. Teresa Kotlarczyk| role: Natasza

BARTOSZ NALAZEK,  LIGHT DESIGNER

Bartosz Nalazek is a polish cinematographer based in Los Angeles. He studied Photography at the Warsaw School of Photography then Cinematography at the Polish National Film School in Lodz.

Bartosz assisted worldwide famous cinematographer Janusz Kaminski on feature films “War Horse”, “Lincoln”, “The Judge” and "Bridge of Spies”. He was selected for The Emerging Cinematographer Award in 2014 by The International Cinematographers Guild and nominated for the Streamy Award for his work on “Making A Scene” - a series of short films made for The New York Times Magazine including Oscar contending actors such as Cate Blanchet, Forest Whitaker, Bradley Cooper and others.

Bartosz debuted with “The Artists” directed by Monika Strzępka that were nominated for Best TV series of 2016 by the Polish Academy and had positive reviews complementing the visual style of the show.

His recent work includes - 'Tell It To The Bees' a British feature film starring Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger that premiered at TIFF 2018, 'The Perfect Date' feature film directed by Chris Nelson premiering on Netflix April 12th starring Noah Centineo, Laura Marano and Camila Mendes, 'Song of Back and Neck' feature film directed by Paul Lieberstein selected for US Feature Competition at Tribeca Film Festival 2018 and 'Run Sweetheart, Run' feature film directed by Shana Feste shot in 2019 in Los Angeles.

He worked as 2nd Unit Director of Photography for 'Call of the Wild' directed by Chris Sanders, 'The Post' and 'Bridge of Spies' directed by Steven Spielberg and 'Boychoir' directed by Francois Girard.

Bartosz works also as Light Designer and Video Artist. His work includes collaboration with renown polish theater directors such as Krzysztof Garbaczewski, Krystian Lupa, Maja Kleczewska, Agnieszka Olsten, Wiktor Rubin and Lukasz Twarkowski. In 2014 he received a prize for BEST VISUAL DESIGN for ‘KRONOS' on the 7th Devine Comedy International Theater Festival.

"Who Was Helena Modjeska?" Asks Maja Trochimczyk at Laguna Art Museum on 28 March 2019 at 6 pm

Maja Trochimczyk with Modjeska's portrait by Ajdukiewicz (1880), Sukiennice Gallery, Krakow 

... A short answer to the question "Who Was Helena Modjeska?" is that Helena Modjeska was Helena Modrzejewska,  a Shakespearean actress born in Krakow, Poland, on October 12, 1840 (as Jadwiga Benda, baptized as Jadwiga Helena Opid); who emigrated to California in 1876, settled on an estate in Santiago Canyon, Orange County (that she called Arden) and died in Newport Beach, California, on April 8, 1909 after an illustrious acting career spanning two continents and consisting of over 4,000 performances.

For a longer answer, illustrated with 80 slides of her photographs, costumes, letters, memorabilia, and gardens at Arden, please attend a lecture by Modjeska Club President, Dr. Maja Trochimczyk entitled "Who was Helena Modjeska?" This lecture, held at Laguna Art Museum, on Thursday, March 28, 2019 (https://lagunaartmuseum.org/events/who-was-helena-modjeska/) accompanies a unique exhibition of Modjeska's 1896 tale written and illustrated for her grandson Felix Modjeski (son of Ralph Modjeski the famous engineer).

As it turns out Modjeska was not only actress, writer, illustrator, but also theater director, producer, costume designer, costume maker, star-maker (Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Wladyslaw Benda), artist and artists' muse (writer Henryk Sienkiewicz, painters, poets Richard Watson Gilder and John Steven McGroarty), interior designer, icon of style, businesswoman, and marketer. Then, she also was farmer, landowner, gardener and the boss of one of the most famous gardeners of the 29th century, Theodore Payne (of Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants), and even a rosarian! Of course, she was a devoted daughter, sister, mother, favorite great aunt and grandma... and a legend during her lifetime and after her death... A lot of roles for 68 years of life!

Arden during Modjeska's lifetime and in 2011.

At the end, a brief history of the purchase and renovation of the estate by Orange County will be outlined by Eric Jessen, retired Chief, Orange County Harbors, Beaches & Regional Parks who personally negotiated the acquisition of the Modjeska Home & Gardens from the Walker family of Farmers & Merchants Bank.

The Lecture will take place on Thursday, 28 March 2019 at 6 pm. at Laguna Art Museum, 307 Cliff Dr, Laguna Beach, CA 92651; tel. (949) 494-8971. Attendance at this lecture is free with museum admission of $7. Please contact the Museum directly for tickets. There is no Club RSVP this time.
https://lagunaartmuseum.org/events/who-was-helena-modjeska/

To Modjeska

By Richard Watson Gilder (1844-1909)

Here are four sisters known to mortals well,
Whose names are Joy and Sorrow, Death, and Love:
This last it was who did my footsteps move
To where the other deep-eyed sisters dwell.
To-night, or ere yon painted curtain fell,
These, one by one, before my eyes did rove
Through the brave mimic world that Shakspere wove.
Lady! thy art, thy passion were the spell
That held me, and still holds; for thou dost show,
With those most high each in his sovereign art,--
Shakspere supreme, Beethoven and Angelo,--
Great art and passion are one. Thine too the part
To prove that still for him the laurels grow
Who reaches through the mind to pluck the heart.

Gilder was an American writer and editor of The Century Magazine, and Member of American Academy of Arts and Letters. He published many volumes of poetry including "How Paderewski Plays..."  Modjeska introduced Paderewski to Gilder, thus starting another helpful artistic friendship.

Another notable American poet wrote an eulogy for her funeral, published in Los Angeles in 1909.

Modjeska

 by John Steven McGroarty (1862-1944)

The curtain falls, and hushed the sighing
    Of violet strings; the crowds depart.
The Queen is dead, her white hands lying
    At peace upon her quiet heart.

She hears no more the shout and clamor
    Of mimic armies, hurrying fast
To shield her throne in war's wild glamor;
    Their swords are rust, their splendor past.

The play is done, told is the story
     Of life and strife, or love and trust.
Scattered the hosts, and gone their glory,
     Their trumpets still, their banners dust.

She was the Queen, that laughed at danger.
    Who, far from the native hills had flown
To bind the heart-stings of the stranger
     In alien lands, around her own.

Bright was the throne her feet ascended -
     Her soul was fair, and fair her face;
Nor yet, though now her reign be ended
     Another comes to take her place.

No more the salvos madly leaping
     To greet her ears in triumphs wan-
The Queen, her last long sleep is sleeping:
     The lights are out, the plays is done.


More information on the page "Helena Modjeska" on this blog, and on Chopin with Cherries blog:

https://chopinwithcherries.blogspot.com/2019/03/who-was-helena-modjeska-lecture-at.html

Krzysztof Dzikowski and Wiktora Tracz Present the Most Famous Polish Songs, 17 March 2019, 6 pm

The next meeting of the Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club is a concert "There is someone like that" [Jest taki ktos] -  an interview with Krzysztof Dzikowski, song writer of the greatest Polish hits of the 1970s and a presentation of the hits with his texts by Wiktoria (Victoria) Tracz, a young vocalist who is working on the recording of her first CD. The event will take place in the South Pasadena Library Community Room on Sunday, 17 March 2019, at  6 pm. This program is partly supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, and the Consulate General of Poland in Los Angeles. 

 

After the conversation and the concert, we invite you to a glass of wine and desserts. Despite the funny name, the room is beautiful and stylish, in a building from the 1920s, surrounded by old trees of a small park. Address: 1115 El Centro St, South Pasadena, CA 91030, parking on the streets. The concert is an event open to the public and, according to the rules of the Community Room, the admission is free for all. RSVP to Maja Trochimczyk at prezes@modjeska.org.  Due to the historical status of the building, however, you cannot serve "dark" drinks like coffee, tea or red wine ...

  KRZYSZTOF DZIKOWSKI

Lyricist, poet, culture activist

Krzysztof Dzikowski - songwriter, screenwriter, writer (poet, prose writer, playwright). He studied at the Warsaw University of Technology, graduated in Polish philology, screenwriting at the Film, Television and Theater School in Łódź, and the Warsaw School of Photography. He continued his postgraduate studies at the Warsaw School of Humanities. He wrote lyrics for the greatest hits of 60s and 70s of Polish popular music. Awarded with the Silver Medal of Merit for Culture Gloria Artis, the Honorary Award of the President of the Board of Polish Television S.A. , as well as "Icons of the Festival" for participation in Opole festivals, the Honorary Medal of the ZAIKS Association and the Golden Cross of Merit awarded by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

Krzysztof Dzikowski made his debut during his studies as the author of the Tragedia wydrwigroszów, in which he also appeared as an actor. He was passionate about theater, so when the Dramatic Theater of the Warsaw University of Technology (Politechnika Warszawska)  needed actors to present The Wedding of Mrs. Du Barry, he applied and was admitted to the group of young artists. After the closure of the Dramatic Theater, he became involved in the Stodoła Cabaret debuting on the stage with the monologue Eurydice's Hands. He also performed, among others as Achilles in the parody of Achilles and the Miss (1953), and this role was highly praised by Artur Maria Swinarski. In the years 1961-1963 he became the literary director of the Stodoła Cabaret.

Krzysztof Dzikowski holds a diploma from the State Film School (PWSTiF) in Łódź. During his studies, he wrote two film scripts for the Film Group X - Hanged and  Scream louder  (Krzycz glosniej). For the latter he won the the 1st prize in the Young in Film Competition in Koszalin in 1981. In the years 1963 - 1965 he joined the Student Club Hybrydy. For this cabaret, he wrote together with Wojciech Młynarski the scenarios for programs Joyful Mouth of Stabilization and People Buy It. He also created a libretto for musicals, including Mismatched, or Goliath the Whale (also together with Wojciech Młynarski).

As a lyricist, he made his debut in 1963. At that time, he established a collaboration with the music group of Tajfun, and later also with Czerwono-Czarni. He achieved the greatest successes as a songwriter for the rock band Czerwone Gitary. Songs with lyrics by Krzysztof Dzikowski can be heard by the best Polish artists, among others: Czesław Niemen, Maryla Rodowicz, Niebiesko - Czarni, Trubadurzy, Kasia Sobczyk, Anna German, Halina Frąckowiak, Irena Jarocka, Krzysztof Cugowski, Ewa Bem, Alibabki, Jerzy Polomski, Ludwik Sempoliński, Urszula Sipińska, Halina Kunicka, Karin Stanek, Tadeusz Chyła, Krystyna Janda, Wojciech Gąssowski, Anna Maria Jopek and Anna Wyszkoni. Krzysztof Dzikowski has worked for many years with the Polish Radio's First Program. He managed, among others, the broadcast program of the Songs of Facts (Piosenki Faktu). It featured songs that described real events. The programs also included interviews with well-known artists who wrote such songs (Wojciech Młynarski and others).

Dzikowski's songs enjoyed great popularity among listeners, as evidenced by the need to reprint the book The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry by the PAX Publishing shortly after the premiere of the song of the same title written for Kasia Sobczyk. In turn, the song The First Day  of the Year is often sung in Polish homes during Christmas, as one of new carols. His text Sunrise in the Horse Farm was published in the World Anthology of Poetry about Horses. Dzikowski is also the author of literary translations of plays by G. Moustaki and Tennessee Williams.

The Krzysztof Dzikowski Foundation  initiated a program for using lyrics by Krzysztof Dzikowski to teach Polish in Siberia and thus increased their popularity abroad. The Foundation announced 2016 as  the year of Dzikowski. announced 2016 as the year of the celebration of the 55th years of Krzysztof Dzikowski's creative life. Currently, Krzysztof Dzikowski cooperates with a young, talented vocalist Wiktoria Tracz.

WIKTORIA TRACZ

Wiktoria Tracz born 26/11/2002 in Nowy Sącz is a young vocalist who feels good in pop, pop rock, R &B, Dance pop, Soul. She began her musical career in 2011 as a nine-year-old girl. She is a graduate of the State Music School of Fryderyk Chopin in Nowy Sącz and currently is studying music and performance at the famous BRIT School in London. Wictoria was invited to several Polish television programs, including: Pytanie na Śniadanie, Petersburski Music Show, etc. She has won many prestigious awards at festivals in Poland and abroad, including: UK, Denmark, Italy, Germany, Georgia, Belarus, Malta, Macedonia, Slovenia and Bulgaria. Since 2016 she has been working with Krzysztof Dzikowski and composer Marek Yan Kisieliński.

Her first singles are Winter Ball and Teenage Girl. Recently, she also began to compose songs, and wrote text for the song Czekaj. Wiktoria was a semi-finalist of the 1st Edition of The Voice Kids program in 2018, where she was on the Tomson and Baron team. The song Beat Is Off is the newest single produced by the Delphy Records label, for which she produced a music video herself. Recently, Wiktoria had the honor to perform with the legendary band of the first Czerwono Czarni on the occasion of Krzysztof Dzikowski's Jubilee.

Links to YouTube Videos:

The Voice Kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pvguKyi8iU 

Teleexpress TVP : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDVaWaNDESg 

Interview, Pytanie na Śniadanie TVP2 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOuktDYA6jM&t=211s 

Polskie Radio - Radio dla Ciebie : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u0z1lMCKkY 

Song ,,Radość o poranku'' : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SCrx70Lb20 

Song ,,Nie wiem czy to warto'' : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiQkmFV6Jms 

Song ,,Co ja w tobie widziałam'' : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5_3vSJYRFM 

Song “Zimowy Bal“ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYqqCYhMzTc

INTERVIEW WITH MAGDALENA GRZEBALKOWSKA - PHOTO REPORT

 

 

 

L to R: Ewa Barsam, Maria Pilatowicz, Maja Trochimczyk, 

Magdalena Grzebalkowska, Andrzej Maleski

 

L to R: Edward Pilatowicz, Magdalena Grzebalkowska, Maria Pilatowicz, Maja Trochimczyk

 

L to R: Edward Pilatowicz, Magdalena Grzebalkowska, Maria Pilatowicz, Chris Justin.

Photos from the camera of Chris Justin. Thank you! 

Magdalena Grzebalkowska In Conversation with Andrzej Maleski, February 17, 2019, at 6:30 pm

The Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club is pleased to announce its next event, an interview with eminent Polish writer, Magdalena Grzebalkowska, reporter, winner of Nike Readers 2016 and the author of bestselling books: Father Paradoks. Biography of Jan Twardowski, Beksińscy. Double portrait, 1945. War and peace, Komeda, personal life of jazz. The interview will be conducted by Andrzej Maleski; rare photos will be shown, and books available for purchase. The meeting will take place on Sunday, February 17 at 18:30 in the welcoming residence of Marysia and Edward Pilatowicz in West Hills. RSVP to the President, prezes@modjeska.org, until February 12, 2019.

In Komeda, the Personal Life of Jazz, Magdalena Grzebałkowska reveals the personal life of Krzysztof Komeda and his surroundings. Komeda was a mystery man, he did not write letters, he did not keep diaries. To get to know the truth about one of the greatest Polish musicians, whose lullaby from Rosemary's Baby was heard around the whole world, Magdalena Grzebałkowska visited Scandinavian countries, Russia and the United States. She reached the last living witness of the tragic accident from fifty years ago and is the first to present her version of events. She discovered the personal life of Polish jazzman, Komeda, and the environment in which he functioned from the colorful life of Piwnica pod Baranami in Krakow and the birth of the Warsaw Jazz Jamboree to Los Angeles. This is a moving portrait of a generation for whom jazz was the most beautiful - and often the only - substitute for freedom.

HOSTS OF THE EVENT

The meeting will take place in the welcoming residence of Maria and Edward Pilatowicz, and the conversation with the writer will be led by Andrzej Maleski - all three individuals are a very important part of the history of the Modjeska Club, so we decided to share with our readers  information about them.

ANDRZEJ MALESKI

Andrzej Maleski (aka Andrzej Malecki) has been a member of the Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club since 1985. In 2008-2010 he served as the President of the club. Together with wife Joanna, they repeatedly hosted the Club's events in their residence. Before leaving Poland, Andrzej was the editor of the television magazine "Pegaz", where he dealt with film and theater topics. He was also the author of many television programs with the participation of Polish theater stars; he created many  documentary films. 

After emigrating to California, he continued his journalistic passion, conducting interviews with outstanding Polish artists in the Modjeska Club. Among others, he interviewed many outstanding filmmakers: Agnieszka Holland, Krzysztof Zanussi, Janusz Kaminski, Janusz Zaorski, Filip Bajon, Jan Kidawa-Blonski, Ryszard Bugajski. He hosted and interviewed theater directors Michael Hackett and Grzegorz Jarzyna, as well as famous Polish actors Barbara Krafftowna, Jerzy Trel, Andrzej Seweryn, Alina Janowska, Jan Englert, Danuta Stenka, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Krzysztof Majchrzak. Finally, he was given the difficult task to interview Polish politicians: Poland's ambassador in the USA, Janusz Reiter, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage Bogdan Zdrojewski, and the First Lady of the Republic of Poland Maria Kaczyńska who later died tragically in 2010. Andrzej Maleski was also the author of countless invitations and reviews from the Club's meetings, as well as the author of texts and songs for the Modjeska Club's cabarets and anniversary ceremonies. In 2012, he was awarded the medal "Zasłużony dla Kultury Polskiej" [Medal of merit for the promotion of Polish culture] by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

MARIA & EDWARD PILATOWICZ

Mr and Mrs Pilatowicz will host the interview with Magdalena Grzebalkowska in their residence, in which they have a great experience because they not only hosted many meetings, but also Club's guests - famous actors, film directors, who often received a wonderful holiday in California as a reward for their appearance in the Club.

Marysia and Edward Piłatowicz actively joined the Modjeska Club board in the early 1980s. They hosted many club meetings and events, including the historic meeting of the Polish Southern California community representatives with the staff of the newly-established Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles in 1991. The Christmas and New Year theatrical performances  prepared by Marysia, featured carols and poetic performances and were among the most popular Modjeska Club events. Two of these events recorded on tape can be viewed on YouTube: Pastoralka 2002 and Pastoralka 2004 (see the links below). A satirical compilation of songs and skits with the participation of many members of the Club, entitled "Piernikalia 2000" can also be viewed on YouTube, from the link below, Piernikalia 2000.

The twenty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club in 1971 fell during the term of office of Edward as the President. On this occasion, the Club received the medal from the Minister of Culture and Art of the Republic of Poland "Zasłużony dla Kultury Polskiej" presented by the Consul General of the Republic of Poland at that time, Maciej Krych. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary, the Club also published a booklet "The First Twenty Five Years ..." documenting Modjeska Club events of that period. This booklet, edited by Maria Pilatowicz, was given to Polish artists, musicians, poets and writers who were guests of the Modjeska Club. For their activity, Marysia and Edward received medals "Zasłużony dla Kultury Polskiej" and "Knight's Crosses of the Order of Merit" from the Polish government.

• Maria Pilatowicz, "Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club of Los Angeles: 43 Years of Business as Usual," Cosmopolitan Review, vol. 7 no. 1, Spring 2015. http://cosmopolitanreview.com/modjeska-club/
• "Pastoralka 2004" - Christmas Performance by Club members, writer and director Maria Pilatowicz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt59yXTEP4U&index=27&t=40s&list=UUhDbD-sbHpJuS1e8HJ_dnlQ
•  Leon Schiller, "Pastoralka" - Christmas Performance at the Magicopolis Theater, 2002, adaptation and direction by Maria Pilatowicz, stage design and costumes stage design and costumes Jan Sytnik, Wito Wojcik and Ewa Swider. Actors - club members https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JLr7VoZCUE
• "Piernikalia" - a compilation of satirical texts by Maria Pilatowicz with songs from the Cabaret of Old Gents (Kabaret Starszych Panow), directed by Maria Pilatowicz, 2000.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUdu26Hj4oM&t=0s&list=UUhDbD-sbHpJuS1e8HJ_dnlQ&index=40

PIRAMIDY  IN LOS ANGELES

The Modjeska Club is very grateful for the generous financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Polonia Funds, and of the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland (Consul for Polonia and Cultural Affairs, Mr. Ignacy Zarski). The concert, Mickiewicz Unplugged by the Piramidy from Poland (Piotr Kajetan Matczuk, Tomasz Imienowski) was fantastic and we are looking forward to bringing the musicians back in a year or two. 

We are also very thankful to Dr. Irmina Targowski and Dr. Andrzej Targowski for arrainging the hall rental at the elegant CenterPointe Club and for inviting us to Playa Vista!  We appreciate your support and are grateful for the use of this beautiful space for our meeting.

Poster for the Piramidy performance

Centerpointe Club, Playa Vista

The audience, in the first row Elzbieta Romuzga, Malgorzata Miller, Zbyszek Orzol,

in the second row Ewa Nyczak

Tomasz Imienowski and Piotr Kajetan Matczuk

Piotr Kajetan Matczuk

Musicians with the Club Board. L to R, seated: T. Imienowski, P. Matczuk, Elzbieta Trybus. L to R, standing: Chris Justin, Maja Trochimczyk, Ewa Barsam, Elzbieta Przybyla, Witold Sokolowski.

Musicians with the Club Board. L to R, seated: T. Imienowski, P. Matczuk, Maja Trochimczyk. L to R, standing: Chris Justin, Elzbieta Przybyla, Elzbieta Trybus, Ewa Barsam, Witold Sokolowski

February 3, 2019 at 4 pm - Concert by Duet Piramidy from Poland at CenterPointe Club in Playa Vista

Modjeska Club is pleased to announce its next event, a special concert "Mickiewicz Unplugged" performed by the Polish duet Pyramidy consisting of Piotr Kajetan Matczuk - acoustic guitar, piano, and singing; Tomasz Imienowski - bass guitar. The concert will take place on Sunday, February 3 at 4 pm, at the CenterPointe Club in Playa Vista (6200 Playa Vista Drive, Playa Vista, CA 90094; it is an elegant and modern private club with free parking under the building. Reservations for the concert please send to the President, Prezes@modjeska.org, by 25 January 2019.  More information will be provided via email to members and guests of the Modjeska Club. Send your inquiries to the President.

This concert is co-sponsored with a grant from Polonia funds of the Ministry of Foreign Affaris of the Republic of Poland. Projekt jest współfinansowany w ramach funduszy polonijnych Ministerstwa Spraw Zagranicznych Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej.

MICKIEWICZ UNPLUGGED is a concert consisting of texts by Adam Mickiewicz, which were chosen so as to sound very contemporary. PIRAMIDY show Mickiewicz not as a poet who is only a bard, a symbol, a monument and the author of "Pan Tadeusz", but as someone who could write about love, about normal life, about what meets us, surprises and about everything that remains valid after today. It is sometimes cheerful and humorous, sometimes nostalgic, sometimes includes singing together with the audience, sometimes is very touching. This concert will certainly appeal to everyone and will be remembered for a long time. Additional well known songs with poetic texts may be presented as an encore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEpQDhmeirE: Mickiewicz, Stepy Akermanskie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG_B7zmT8e4: Mickiewicz, Romantycznosc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMNG8L-ta7A: Mickiewicz, Przed wichrami

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVskS4tWI2k: Mickiewicz, Sen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK_6NWdDj6c: Mickiewicz, Do M***

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kktNZb6NOtk: Slowacki, Testament Moj

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vxLmrPGw0I: Norwid, Rozmowa z piramidami

BIOGRAPHIES OF PERFORMERS

PIOTR KAJETAN MATCZUK

Pianist, guitarist, arranger, songwriter. Leader and founder of the PYRAMIDS team. Graduate of the Music Study in the piano class of Elżbieta Lickiewicz and Polish philology at the University of Gdańsk. PhD student at the Institute of Polish Literature at the University of Warsaw. The official patronage over his work has taken the Program 2 of Polish Television. He gave concerts in Poland and in Europe, including in The Hague in the Netherlands, the NATO military base Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum for the Polish staff commanding the mission in Afghanistan, in Vianden in Luxembourg, many times in Berlin, among others in Columbiahalle, Ernst Reuter Saal, Ufafabrik, Filmbuhne am Steinplatz - joint concert with Józef Skrzek, in Fontanehaus on the official celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the demolition of the Berlin Wall, in Cologne, Munich, Frankfurt, Geneva in Switzerland in the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the UN in Brugg, Zurich or in Vilnius. Author of theater and film music.

He performs theater music at the Ateneum Theater, among others with Krzysztof Tyniec's band, author of music for the monodrama "Życiorys", dir. Wojciech Wysocki. He made music and appeared in the documentary entitled "Bard" dir. Katarzyna Kościelak (produced by TVP2), appeared in the film "Wałęsa", dir. Andrzej Wajda as one of the striking shipyard workers. For artistic work, he was awarded by the President and the City Council of Ełk - the White Lily 2009 statuette, and by the Mayor and City Council of Kościerzyna - Angelus 2010 statuette - for artistic achievements and work with youth.

Solo albums: • Conversation with the pyramids "(CD MTJ 2012). • Nasz Wysocki (CD MTJ 2013). • Bards of the People's Republic of Poland - a concert at the Polish Theater (DVD WFN 2014). • THE YEAR OF WAR (CD MTJ 2016). • A short CD about Okudżawa (CD MTJ 2017). He also recorded on many other CDs as a studio musician and soloist.

 

TOMASZ IMIENOWSKI

Tomasz Imienowski Bass guitarist, composer. He has been connected with music since childhood. He is fluent in all musical styles, but most often he can be found with an author's song, ambitious poetic projects. He appears on stage with Krzysztof Tyniec. He also collaborates with: Open Blues, Janusz Niekrasz Band (solo project TSA) and the band Pyramid. He plays bass guitar at the Ateneum Theater in Warsaw. He is valued above all for great "drive" and section work. He worked with the greatest stars and instrumentalists of Polish blues, rock and jazz (including musicians from TSA, Republika, Nocna Zmiana Bluesa). He was invited to a guest appearance on the recorded and released in 2012 concert DVD by Wojtek Pilichowski. Together with his friends, he has several albums that have been warmly received in Poland and abroad, and a vinyl (!) Single that Open Blues shares with American guitar star Alvon Johnson. He played over a thousand concerts throughout the country and abroad (Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Latvia, Croatia). He also gave concerts on radio and television.

Monique Lehman with her newest tapestry, January 12, 2019

MODJESKA CLUB EVENTS IN 2019

January 12, 2019: The Art of Seeing with Monique Lehman and Marek Dzida, Hellada Gallery, free admittance, public event

February 17, 2019 at private residence in West Hills: Magdalena Grzebalkowska talks about her biography of Krzysztof Komeda, RSVP Club members and their guests only. Interview by Andrzej Maleski.

March 17, 2019 at South Pasadena Community Room (El Centro St.): Krzysztof Dzikowski, songwriter and Wiktoria Tracz singer  present the Golden Oldies of the past 40 years, free admittance, public event.

March 28, 2019 - at Laguna Art Museum: Maja Trochimczyk's Lecture "Who was Helena Modjeska?" to accompany Helena Modjeska Exhibition, opening on March 3. Ticket $7.

May 4: Polish Engineers At NASA, organized by Artur Chmielewski and Witold Sokolowski

May 19, 2019: "Helena Modjeska" - premiere of a new play by Marta Ojrzynska, Magicopolis Theater, Santa Monica

June, TBA: Modjeska Club Fashion Show, details TBA, organized by Ewa Barsam and Syl Ves

SUMMER VACATION

October 2019, TBA: Lecture Recital by Prof. Slawomir Dobrzanski, celebrating Maria Szymanowska Year, with book signing.

October, TBA: Reception for guests of Polish Film Festival in Los Angeles and Winner of Helena Modjeska Prize 2019.