Enthusiastic standing ovations lasted a very long time – this was how the audience thanked the artists for Saturday’s spectacular and premiere performance of “Cantata Heroica 1025–2025. History written in words, sound, and image.”
“Cantata Heroica 1025–2025. History written in words, sound, and image” – a musical narrative about the history of Poland – resonated with particular force in the space of the Church of St. Joseph the Worker in Oświęcim during its premiere. This monumental musical-poetic story, for which Mikołaj Blajda composed the music and wrote the script, was created to commemorate the millennium of the coronation of Bolesław the Brave – an event that laid the foundation of Polish statehood. Mikołaj Blajda also directed the performance and conducted the concert. Minute by minute, the musical narrative unfolded further, combined with spectacular displays of animated images projected onto the church’s walls and ceiling.
In this original way, the artists presented the history of Poland in an essential, poetic spectacle in which music, image, and narration intertwined to create a symbolic message. The story began at the moment of shaping the nation’s statehood and identity. Its climax was the coronation of Bolesław the Brave. Subsequent parts presented state’s most significant historical events and figures.
During the closing speech, Iwona Gibas, a member of the board of the Małopolska Voivodeship, emphasized the importance of cooperation between the cultural institutions of Małopolska.
The participants were invited to take part in this exceptional event combining music, words, and images on Saturday, 8 November 2025, by the Cultural Institutions of the Małopolska Voivodeship – The Remembrance Museum of the Land of Oświęcim Residents together with the Karol Szymanowski Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra.
The concert was organized as part of the celebrations marking the Millennium of the Kingdom of Poland. It also aligned with the nationwide commemoration of Independence Day on 11 November.
