On October 5, 2025, at 7:00 PM, the Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk will host the world premiere of the Piaśnica Symphony – a four-movement, monumental oratorio-cantata work by Adam Diesner, dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Nazi crimes in Piaśnica in 1939–1940. The soloist will be world-renowned Polish mezzo-soprano Małgorzata Walewska.
Composed for mezzo-soprano, narrator, mixed choir, and symphony orchestra, the work is an artistic tribute to the murdered Kashubian population, a musical reflection of historical memory and the cultural identity of Kashubia and Pomerania. One of the movements, written in Kashubian, represents—according to the composer’s concept—the symbolic voice of "This Land." The concert will be accompanied by visual projections inspired by the Piaśnica Forest, known as the "Kashubian Golgotha."
The premiere performance will feature: Małgorzata Walewska (mezzo-soprano), Mirosław Baka (narrator) – winner of the Grand Prix for Best Male Role at the 60th Kalisz Theatre Meeting, The Academic Choir of the University of Gdańsk (prepared by M. Tomczak and A. Majda), The Baltic Philharmonic of the Young conducted by Dr. Sylwia Janiak-Kobylińska, Dean of the Faculty of Conducting, Composition and Music Theory at the Academy of Music in Gdańsk, and founder of the "Baltic Philharmonic of the Young" Orchestra.
This project brings together renowned artists and the young generation of musicians, aiming to inspire a deeper understanding of national history through the medium of art.
The work is also the subject of Adam Diesner’s doctoral dissertation, titled: The Piaśnica Symphony for mezzo-soprano, narrator, mixed choir, and symphony orchestra in the context of the musical commemoration of genocide in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC
Tickets: https://muzeum1939.pl/symfonia-piasnicka-prawykonanie-w-miiws/aktualnosci/7794.html
