“Oh, Lord I grieve for the country…”

On the occasion of the Day of the Polonia and Poles Abroad, on May 2, the “Krakus” Senior Center hosted a vocal and poetry performance “Oh, Lord I grieve for the country…”, performed by the Theater and Opera Society “THEOS”. The author and director of the show is Kasia Drucker Voice.

The artists performing in the show were, Katarzyna Drucker – opera singer, Anna Kucay – recitation and Małgorzata Staniszewska – accompaniment.

This is a very moving patriotic show, full of beautiful songs by Chopin, Moniuszko, Karłowicz and folk songs combined with the poetry of Polish great classical masters, Mickiewicz, Słowacki, Konopnicka as well as more contemporary poets like Jan Lechonia or Władysław Bełza. It tells the story about the times of the Great Immigration, about faith in God and Love for the Homeland. It describes Poland as a Family Home, shows the beauty of Poland, Polish customs, memories of the family home, longing for childhood, and the fate of a wanderer.

At the beginning, the Executive Director of the Polish and Slavic Center, Agnieszka Granatowska, and the Coordinator of the “Krakus” Program, Zuzanna Frontczak-Dąbrowicz, wished our Polish seniors on the occasion of the Polonia Day Poles Abroad, and Flag Day.

Then Kasia Drucker – a dramatic soprano asked the audience to rise and she sang intensively and beautifully the so-called Maria Konopnicka’s hymn song “Rota”. Her voice charmed the audience, and combined with the wonderful acting and reciting skills of Anna Kucay and the original romantic-jazz accompaniment of Małgorzata Staniszewska, created a warm atmosphere of family like memories of Poland and touched the hearts of the audience. The seniors had tears in their eyes and expressed their admiration for the artists and the performance with a thunderous standing ovation.

At the end, Director Agnieszka Granatowska thanked the artists for such a feast for the spirit and a beautiful celebration of the Flag Day and the Day of the Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad.