PIE # 53 - Late Poems of Aleksander Wat set to musi

(19.06.2010) Ann Frenkel

"The last PIE presentation in the 2009/2010 season will be "Lumen Obscurum: Aleksander Wat's late poems set to music and performed by Ann Frenkel." Ann will present a musical program for voice and piano which, through the poems, explores the life of the Polish poet Aleksander Wat (1900-1967).

Wat grew up in Warsaw, and suffered much hardship and pain throughout his life, while continuing to write sublime poetry which magically overcomes the pain and suffering it portrays. Ann's music employs motifs from Bach, Ravel, Gregorian Chant, and traditional folk songs. She and Gwido Zlatkes have translated from Polish to English most of the poems included in the program.