Songs painted now

direction: Agata Duda-Gracz and Cezary Studniak
music direction: Wojciech Krzak

musicians: Wojciech Długosz, Sebastian Frankiewicz, Łukasz Korybalski, Wojciech Krzak, Krzysztof Pacan
cast: Artur Caturian, Maja Kleszcz, Tomek Leszczyński, Emose Uhunmwangho, Justyna Szafran
painters: Jerzy Kosałka, Edyta Olszewska, Piotr Saul, Jacek Sroka, Olga Szerstobitow

hosts: Wojtek Fiedorczuk

PPA production: Patrycja Wróbel

Once upon a time – so long ago that one can only read about it in yellowed newspapers in the university library – the festival in Wrocław featured actors in black jumpers singing sad ballads. But that’s all in the past and, by all accounts, unlikely to return. For more than two decades, every issue of the Stage Songs Review has been an anticipation of a revolution, an attempt to create a new formula for musical theatre.
“Painted Songs” is a remarkable project, made even more spectacular by its creators – artists for whom the Wrocław festival is a home where they grew and travelled along many artistic paths.
There are only five songs – very long, about fifteen minutes each.
Each singer’s performance is illustrated in real time by a visual artist present on stage, chosen by lot a moment earlier; nothing is decided in advance, apart from purely technical matters.
Agata Duda-Gracz and Cezary Studniak, authors of the concept and directors of the event:
– It is like a dialogue between music, theatre and visual arts, a concert-performance. The stage will be transformed into a dynamic artistic laboratory and the audience will witness the creation of extraordinary works in harmony with the music and the moment’s emotions. Each instant will become a unique work of art, reshaping the very definition of art itself.

Jerzy Kosałka – he builds objects, creates installations, practices performances, works in public space. Graduate of the Wrocław PWSSP in painting.

Edyta Olszewska – painter and creator of objects. Graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, faculty of painting.

Dr Piotr Saul – he deals with painting, graffiti and organizes exhibitions. Graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław, Faculty of Graphics and media Art.

Jacek Sroka – painter, graphic designer and draftsman. He studied at the Faculty of Graphic Design of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków.

Olga Szerstobitow – she deals with easel painting, monumental painting, performance art, focusing primarily on portraits. She graduated of the Faculty of Art at the University of Rzeszów.

KOPRODUCENT