Warsaw. Innocent Wizards Festival – program

The 19th edition of the Innocent Wizards festival will be held under the slogan “On the carousel of life”, taken from the opening credits of the series “Czterdziestolatka”. The pretext for such a topic was an anniversary. The first episodes of the still popular soap opera about the professional and private adventures of engineer Stefan Karwowski were produced in 1974, exactly 50 years ago.

– It's not just about sentiment, said Dariusz Gawin, deputy director of the Warsaw Uprising Museum, which organizes the event, during the press conference. – Screenwriters Krzysztof Teodor Toeplitz and Jerzy Gruza wanted to present a character who is going through a midlife crisis, but they wanted to show it in a fun way. They were brilliant observers of everyday life. There are about 150 characters in the series, it's an incredible gallery of morals, he noted.

He added that although times have changed and we look different, “everyone experiences a midlife crisis”, only its border is shifting. – We have the same problems, the world has not changed in this respect – Gawin argued about the relevance of “Czterdziestolatka”. – This series is not only funny, but also wise, full of warm life wisdom. An absolute pearl of Polish culture of the second half of the 20th century – he said.

Director of the Warsaw Uprising Museum, Jan Ołdakowski, noted that the production was also “an example of a fascinating relationship between creators of high and popular culture.” Don't look too far for the accuracy of this observation. The title song “Czterdzieści lat sie” for this once-in-a-lifetime mass TV series was written and performed by a musician from the elite jazz world – Jerzy “Duduś” Matyszkiewicz. The same one who musically illustrated such series as “Alternatives 4” and “Janosik” with equal success. We will hear his songs during the concert in Proxima (November 29), arranged by Jan Emil Młynarski.

– This is a big thing for me. Jerzy Duduś Matuszkiewicz is a friend of my family, and at the same time a symbolic figure for Warsaw, its golden period in social, jazz and student life – said Młynarski. And he recalled that the composer met his father, Wojciech, at the Hybrydy club. – They became friends and started writing songs together – he added. “Oh, it was crazy when Duduś played” – Wojciech Młynarski sang figuratively in one of his songs about his friend.

– In jazz, like nowhere else, tradition is important, looking up to older colleagues is an element of this path. “Duduś” was always our older friend, he never created distance, he always had time for us, even though he was a giant – said Jan Emil Młynarski. This jazz relay of generations will continue because he invited young people to cooperate.

– We put together a concert that refers to the tradition of “Duduś” as a composer, but also as a jazzman. We will start with the most important American themes played by Melomani (it is one of the first jazz bands in Poland, Matuszkiewicz joined it in the late 1940s – ed.), then we will move on to his film and television compositions, and finish with his song works. Everything will be performed by a sextet of young musicians, half my age. I see them as music lovers who are in their twenties and are trying something new. That's the energy I wanted to get. I also invited the outstanding young vocalist Natalia Szroeder to participate – described Młynarski.

The symbolic link between history and the present will also be trombonist Jacek Namysłowski, son of Zbigniew, one of the most important saxophonists in the history of Polish jazz, also a member of Melomany.

Dancing is also a permanent part of the Innocent Wizards program. This year, it is not a coincidence that it will take place at the Palladium club (November 23).

– Its outside is torn (Work is underway to fill the tunnel along Złota Street – ed.). We decided that we would extend the construction site and refer to it scenographically – explained Agnieszka Szulejewska, organizer of the dance. Let us remind you that a large part of the series took place on the construction site of the Central Station. But many scenes took place within the four walls of Stefan and Magda Karwowski's apartment, which will also be played at the Palladium. – From the construction site, through a characteristic arch (like in the Karwowski family's apartment – ed.) you will enter the party at Stefan and Madzia's – Szulejewska described. – Musically, we are paying tribute to the generation of today's 40-year-olds, we will play songs that millennials danced at discos – she announced.

The Stefanex Disco Orchestra will perform under the baton of Jakub Lubowicz, and the special guest will be Beata Kozidrak. – We have been trying for five years and finally managed to arrange the dates – revealed Agnieszka Szulejewska.

“The Book of Herbs” (and more), i.e. sitting stand up! – this is the title of the monodrama by Anna Seniuk, i.e. Magda Karwowska in the series, at the Rampa Theater (December 1). “She is a fully original stage statement. A kind of vivisection of her own artistic path and life experiences. The outstanding actress will take the audience on a theatrical and poetic journey, leading it with her typical intelligence, wit and charm,” describe the organizers. After the performance, there will be a meeting with the actress.

The crew of the Improvised Musical will read the letters of the readers of the weekly “Przyjaciółka” from the 1970s on the stage of the same theater (November 30). “We propose a musical event in the form of a recital, during which we will hear improvised songs, inspired by personal stories, problems or dreams; matters both serious and trivial. Unique songs will be created thanks to you and before your eyes and will never be repeated again,” encourage the improvisers. female singers.

Does architecture have an expiration date? Why can some buildings age well while others fail to stand the test of time? How does the Central Railway Station built by engineer Karwowski compare in this context? These questions will be discussed by the participants of the discussion in the Zodiak pavilion (November 22): Patrycja Jastrzębska, Filip Springer, Grzegorz Mika, Jarosław Trybuś.

“Was Stefan Karwowski a fan of Perfect or did he prefer Czesław Niemen's songs? What cassettes did Jagoda and Marek hide from their parents? Was their idol Kora or maybe Kate Bush? What about Magda – did ABBA play in her soul? What if we moved characters of the series 'Czterdziestolatka' to the present day, who would listen to Polish rap and who would listen to jazz?” Music journalists: Damian Sikorski, Aleksandra Budka, Adam Smolarek, Tomasz Żąda, Leszek Gnoiński will talk about this topic on Radio Czwórka (November 20).

Starting from the figure of a working woman who was not afraid of any work, Justyna Dżbik-Kluge, Cleo Ćwiek, Katarzyna Krzywicka and Lidia Popiel will reflect on professional habits and the role of women in society (November 25, Fakticzny Dom Kultury).

A sociological comparison of forty-year-olds from 1974 and 2024 will be made by Joanna Flis, Joanna Chmura, Maciej Marcisz, Ph.D. hab. Iwona Kurz, Łukasz Sadowski (November 27, Big Book Cafe MDM). Mateusz Adamczyk, Krzysztof Tomasik, Ewa Stusińska, Agata Stola (November 28, MAL Kasprowicza 14) will take on the customs and intimacy of the “Forty Years Old” times.

Tickets, passes and detailed information on the website of the Warsaw Uprising Museum>>>