2010: Chopin Year
Two European cities, Warsaw and Paris, celebrate the 200th birthday of their legendary citizen this year - the composer Frédéric Chopin.
In March, after a major renovation, a museum devoted to the great composer opens its doors in Ostrogski Castle, in Warsaw. Its costs are estimated at 20 million Euros and it promises to become one of the most outstanding museums of its kind in Poland. Although the actual birthplace of Chopin is about 50 km from the capital, in the village of Zelazowa Wola, almost everything from vodka to the airport in Warsaw is named after him.
The young Frédéric started learning piano at the age of four and by eight he had already played the first concert at what is now the Presidential Palace in Warsaw. Yet soon after graduating from the Warsaw Conservatory, the young and unusually talented composer leaves for Vienna and never returns to Poland again. He arrives in Paris in 1831 at the age of 39 and stays there until his very death. Both Chopin's life and his death are wrapped in myths. Some sources claim that until his very last hour he treasured a lock of hair of his femme fatale, George Sand. Others say that he kept an urn with Polish earth. Pére-Lachaise cemetery in Paris became the final resting place of the composer, while his heart, according to his will, was taken from his body and brought back to Poland. Sealed in an urn, it was placed at the Holy Cross church in Warsaw in 1882. Already for 50 years, free piano recitals have been taking place on Saturdays and Sundays at the base of his monument in Lazienki Krolewski, one of the most beautiful walking areas in Warsaw.
Paris, in its turn, marks Chopin's birthday with two exhibitions - Chopin in Paris - the Composer's Workshop and Chopin -The Blue Note. The first one, organized together with the French National Library, takes place at Cite de Musique. It's an attempt to conjure up the creative air that once served as an inspiration for the composer. The exposition comprises rare manuscripts, books, paintings, musical instruments, and all that can be seen under the sounds of Chopin's music. Another exhibition is held in Musee de la Vie Romantique, built back in the 19th century. It used to be a salon then and was visited by Chopin and other famous figures of bohemian Montmartre of that time, like, George Sand and Delacroix. In a way, the Museum of Romantic Life pays homage to all of them. The exhibition Blue Note is custom designed for the museum and recreates the historical and aesthetic atmosphere that helped Chopin to develop his musical genius.
Ostrogoski Palace
1, ul. Okolnik, Warsaw
www.chopin.pl
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