Around the World with Mazowsze

The last Maxowsze North American tour reminds us of the artistic phenomenon that is the Mazowsze Polish Folk Song and Dance Company…. or, as they are better known: Państwowy Zespół Ludowy Pieśni i Tańca Mazowsze im. Tadeusza Sygietyńskiego w Karolinie.
Ok, maybe that is just their official name. All around the world they are simply known as “Mazowsze”,  and they are Poland’s most influential ambassadors.

They do it all through music…. presenting the charm of Polish folklore, beautiful songs, dances, and folk costumes  from 43 distinct ethnographic regions of Poland, as well as the 5 National Dances: Polonez, Mazur, Krakowiak, Kujawiak, and Oberek.

 

 

While everyone who has ever seen Mazowsze knows that they are the No. 1 Polish folk troupe in the world, not everyone is aware of their versatility. Mazowsze’s repertoire also consists of 150 songs from other nations as well. In each of the 50 countries that Mazowsze has toured, they sing a couple of songs from that country in the original language. Most of those songs were sung by Stanisław Jopek, who was their principal soloist for 50 years, until his death in 2006.

There are songs from Russia, as well as Cuba, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Egypt, Portugal, Slovakia,

the United States (this one is so fun !),

Japan,

China,

Israel,

England,

Germany,

France,

the Netherlands,

Hungary,

and many many more countries !!

With their exhausting tour schedule abroad and in Poland,  and the recent addition of their own theater at Karolin, you would think that the singers, dancers, and musicians from Mazowsze have no time to relax.

They do, however, get some time off during the summer.  And what do they do with that free time??  Well, some of them perform as Mazowszacy z Karolina.  I saw their show at a Warsaw hotel one summer.  In the audience was a group of tourists from Japan. They gave a cheer when the first few notes of Szła Dzieweczka began playing.  They knew that Mazowsze often sings that Polish folk song in Japanese !

Here is the Tokyo Hoso Children’s Choir singing that song:

Whether Mazowsze is performing a dance from Poland, or singing a song from Korea, or Brazil, they always delight audiences around the world who can’t seem to get enough.

I am among those who have been enchanted by Mazowsze concerts many many times throughout the years in the U.S. and in Poland. They have become the soundtrack of my life; and as I travel the world, their songs accompany me on my journey.

(Russian song)

The Moral of the Story is that the Magnificent Mazowsze will take you on a tour Around the World with Song.

Please click on the many links on this page, to sample some of these songs.

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