Konrad Swinarski Square
Kraków Artists: Theatre, Cabaret and Film
A square in the Planty, between Szczepański Square and św. Tomasza Street, named after Konrad Swinarski (1929-1975), theatre, television, film and opera director, stage designer and set designer. He is regarded as one of the most original and outstanding creators in the history of Polish theatre; he influenced, among others, Krystian Lupa, Jerzy Jarocki and Krzysztof Warlikowski. He obtained his directing diploma in 1972 on the basis of his staging of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Stary Theatre in Kraków, and in 1973-1975 he was a lecturer at the Kraków State Theatre School.
History
The square in Planty Park between Szczepański Square and Świętego Tomasza Street is named after Konrad Swinarski (1929-1975), a director of theatre, television, film and opera, and a stage designer. He is regarded as one of the most original artists in the history of Polish theatre; his influence can be seen in the work of Jerzy Jarocki, Krystian Lupa and Krzysztof Warlikowski.
In 1955-1957 Swinarski trained at the Berliner Ensemble, where he assisted Bertolt Brecht. From 1965 he worked with the Helena Modrzejewska Old Theatre (Stary Teatr) in Kraków, where his most famous productions were created. His extraordinarily original version of Adam Mickiewicz's "Dziady" (Forefathers' Eve), which premiered on 18 February 1973, went down in history. His last premiere at the Old Theatre was Stanisław Wyspiański's "Wyzwolenie" (Liberation) on 30 May 1974, widely regarded as a masterpiece and awarded the Grand Prix at the BITEF festival in Belgrade.
From 1973 to 1975 he taught at the State Drama School (PWST) in Kraków. He died on 19 August 1975 in a plane crash near Damascus, just as he was starting rehearsals for "Hamlet" at the Old Theatre. After his death the editors of the magazine "Teatr" established an award in his name, given every year to directors for the most outstanding achievements of the season.
Did you know?
Swinarski finished his studies in 1955, but he did not receive his director's diploma until 1972, on the basis of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", staged at the Old Theatre in Kraków.