Much like anywhere else in the world, many people in Poland do not hold the standard of the nation’s popular music in high esteem. The reasons they cite are plentiful, with low standard of lyrics, songwriting and presentation at the top of the list.
For those critics who have turned their backs on Poland’s two annual songs festivals – one of which took place last week in Opole – the songfests were not supposed to highlight anything worthy of attention. But they did, in the shape of a collective of performers known as Gwiazdorskie Towarzystwo Muzyczno-Wokalne (Celebrity Music and Vocal Fellowship).
Taking the stage as solo performers or combinations of two or three, these Poles - who were better known for their successes in other arts - wowed the audience with their musical ability. From an original piano concert played by Zbigniew Zamachowski and Piotr Polk to a violin solo by Maciej ZakoÅ›cielny, an Elvis tribute by Bartosz Opania and a spectacular performance by young actors Borys Szulc, Piotr Adamczyk and Tomasz Karola (known as GÄ…s’n’Roses) the medley they presented was simply incredible. No other event on the Opole Festival’s stage produced such passion, commitment and entertainment.
But this applause was not earned only for the singing, but mostly for their professional displays of musicianship. Here we had TV drama actors suddenly showing their golden fingers on the accordion, and of course fiddler ZakoÅ›cielny, a movie star whose appearance raise the blood pressure of women all over Poland – even my mother!
The rest of the festival isn’t worth noting in comparison – bland and boring, with presenters on a higher level than the artists themselves. And it makes me wonder, are such ‘music stars’ really deserving of their place in popular showbusiness? Please direct all suggestions to tvp.pl.
– Anna Paluch
