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67. konkurs szopek krakowskich i wystawa pokonkursowa
| 67th Kraków Nativity Scenes contest and the contest exhibition |
| On December 3rd 2009 in the nearby of Adam Mickiewicz monument at the Main Square in Kraków will take place 67th Kraków Nativity Scenes contest. Each year, on the first Thursday of December, Nativity Scenes makers together with created by them works of art arrive in the morning to the Kraków’s Main Square. There are many fans of Kraków traditions, press reporters from Poland and abroad, and interested in the event pedestrians. Besides the great masters of Kraków Nativity Scenes, each year taking part in the competition, the contest enter children from kindergartens, primary schools and medical and care institutions. Initial review of the Kraków Nativity Scenes and assignment of the contest’s numbers last up to 12:00. Additional attraction will be a parade of Kraków Christmas Nativity Plays which starts at 12:00. To the accompaniment of the Jan Nowak’s „Krakusy” band* the Kraków Christmas Nativity Plays will move around the Sukiennice (Draper’s Hall) up to the Town Hall Tower where all works of art will be presented on the stage. Everyone will have a chance to see all details of these amazing constructions. From the Tower the Kraków Christmas Nativity Plays will be moved to the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków. Few hours later starts a debate of the jury. Each Kraków Nativity Scene is judged on the basis of fixed by the tradition criteria (decorative, colors, statuettes, architecture, moving parts, traditional aspects, innovation and general art impression). Authors of the most beautiful Kraków Nativity Scenes are awarded with prizes in different age categories. Three days later, on Sunday, December 6th at 12:00 in the Fontana room in the Krzysztofory Palace head of the museum solemnly announces results of the contest, and award prizes and open the post-contest exhibition. All invited quest see a traditional nativity play by Malik family, who for many years have been cultivating Kraków Nativity Scenes tradition. The Kraków Nativity Scenes tradition raised in the 19th century in Kraków’s suburbs. The Kraków Nativity Scenes were usually made by poor builders. During autumn and winter season looking for earnings they used to build from cardboard and wood portable theatres. On these stages they used to perform puppet plays about Christ’s birth. High towers referring to the architecture of Kraków’s churches were typical feature of the constructions. The tradition of Christmas Waits easily took on and for decades, during Christmas, theatre groups with their Kraków Nativity Scenes have been gathering on the Kraków’s Main Square waiting for an invitation to houses of wealthy Kraków’s families. After the World War I it seemed that the tradition inevitably had passed away. Fortunately the tradition has survived and in a bit altered form came back on December 21st 1937 when the first Kraków Nativity Scenes contest was arranged. The event was initiated by Jerzy Dobrzycki, later head of the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków. Kraków Nativity Scenes are full of colors and have typical architecture, which in a harmonious way links elements of Kraków’s historical monuments. The most often used motifs in the Kraków Nativity Scenes are towers of the St. Mary’s Church, dome of the Sigismund Chapel in the Wawel Castle, St. Florian’s Gate, Drapers’ Hall (Sukiennice) and the Barbican. Beauty of the architecture is emphasized with numerous ornaments, colorful stained-glass windows and above all, a galaxy of figures on all floors and in all niches. Close by the Holy Family - Mother of God, St. Joseph and lying in the manger Infant, in the Kraków Nativity Scenes we can find Cracovians wearing traditional costumes, angels, musicians and heroes of the Kraków’s legends like Mr. Twardowski, the Wawel Dragon, the Lajkonik or the trumpeter from the St. Mary’s Tower. Custodian: Łukasz Olszewski Post contest exhibition is available since December 6th 2009 until February 28th 2010 Sunday – Thursday 9.00-18.00 Friday - Saturday 9.00-19.00 On December 25th and January 1st the exhibition is closed , On December 26th the exhibition is opened between 9:00 and 16:00, On December 24th and 31st the exhibition is opened between 9.00 and 15.00 Tickets: regular - 6 zł half price - 4 zł Family - 12 zł Groups and schools - 3,50 zł Charge for taking photos - 10 zł On Mondays entry fee only - 2 zł!!! We would like to inform you that Since December 6th, the exhibition „A charm of old Nativity Scenes” will be available in the Krzysztofory Palace. Sunday – Thursday – 9:00 – 18:00 Friday – Saturday – 9:00 – 19:00 Tickets: Regular: 4 PLN Half price: 3 PLN Family: 8 PLN Groups/schools: 3 PLN Charge for taking photos: 10 PLN On December 12th and 19th 2009 and on January 9th 2010 we would like to invite you for the „Night with Kraków Nativity Scenes”. On these days the exhibition will be opened until 22:00 and at 16:00 in the Fontana’s Room takes place a show, a nativity play by Malik family. Additional attraction will be a parade of Kraków Christmas Nativity Plays which starts at 12:00. To the accompaniment of the Jan Nowak’s „Krakusy” band the Kraków Christmas Nativity Plays will move around the Sukiennice (Draper’s Hall) up to the Town Hall Tower where all works of art will be presented on the stage. Everyone will have a chance to see all details of these amazing constructions. From the Tower the Kraków Christmas Nativity Plays will be moved to the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków. The „Krakusy” band participating in this year’s moving of the Kraków Christmas Nativity Plays to the Town Hall Tower and to the museum is probably the most titled Kraków’s band. The family band of Jan Nowak has been continuously connected with the Cultural Centre of the name of C.K. Norwid since 1978. The “Krakusy” play and sing known long time since folk melodies and songs, moreover a part of their repertoire was taken from the collection of Oskar Kolberg. In the band there play two and very often even three generations of Nowak family and sometimes being friendly with the family musicians. Apart from family and social ties they are bounded up with each other by the passion – Kraków’s folk music. In years 1981 – 1991 the band won the first prize in the Bands’ and Folk Singers’ Contest in Niepołomice seven times, and its musicians won many individual prizes. In 1981, 1997 and 2003 “Krakusy” represented Kraków area on International Bands’ and Folk Singers’ Festival in Kazimierz Dolny winning in 1997 the third prize. On the list of their successes they have performance on “Krakowski Wianek” - Regional Bands and Folk Groups Parade, where in 2002 they won the first prize, and in 2003, as the prizewinner they won a nomination for the festival in Kazimierz Dolny. * The „Krakusy” band participating in this year’s moving of the Kraków Christmas Nativity Plays to the Town Hall Tower and to the museum is probably the most titled Kraków’s band. The family band of Jan Nowak has been continuously connected with the Cultural Centre of the name of C.K. Norwid since 1978. The “Krakusy” play and sing known long time since folk melodies and songs, moreover a part of their repertoire was taken from the collection of Oskar Kolberg. In the band there play two and very often even three generations of Nowak family and sometimes being friendly with the family musicians. Apart from family and social ties they are bounded up with each other by the passion – Kraków’s folk music. In years 1981 – 1991 the band won the first prize in the Bands’ and Folk Singers’ Contest in Niepołomice seven times, and its musicians won many individual prizes. In 1981, 1997 and 2003 “Krakusy” represented Kraków area on International Bands’ and Folk Singers’ Festival in Kazimierz Dolny winning in 1997 the third prize. On the list of their successes they have performance on “Krakowski Wianek” - Regional Bands and Folk Groups Parade, where in 2002 they won the first prize, and in 2003, as the prizewinner they won a nomination for the festival in Kazimierz Dolny. |
