The Solidarity of Arts festival opens in the Baltic city of Gdansk with Polish and foreign artists performing in tribute to the Gdansk strikes of August 1980.

This year’s edition of the event is focused on the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Solidarity Trade Union and also on the bicentennial of Frederic Chopin’s birth.

The programme includes specially composed symphonies in honour of the Solidarity monument as well as theatrical performances referring to events form the latest pages of Poland’s history.

Jazz will resound through the festival this year with a huge project entitled Mozdzer + headed by Poland’s jazzman Leszek Mozdzer and presenting some of the greatest names of the world jazz scene like Nana Vasconcelos, Eddie Daniels, John Scofield or Marcus Miller.

The official opening of the Solidarity of Arts festival is planned for Friday, however workshops conducted  by jazz musicians start this evening.

On 29 August, the Baltic Philharmonic will see the premiere of a work by Polish composer Pawel Mykietyn , in tribute to the 30th anniversary of Solidarity. The programme also embraces Verdi’s Macbeth and presentation of documentaries showing the history of Solidarity. (ab)