This will not be an ordinary concert. It will be an extraordinary musical spectacle created for the 100th anniversary of Gdynia. Final rehearsals are underway in a studio in Warsaw. Well-known Polish artists, accompanied by the Stokłosa Collective Orchestra, are busy preparing for their performance in Gdynia. We will meet at Kościuszki Square on 10 February at 8 p.m.
The artists are ready, and the stage at Kościuszki Square is in the final phase of construction. It is here that on Tuesday, 10 February, the musical spectacle ‘It all started with the sea – 100th anniversary of Gdynia’, prepared to celebrate the centenary of our city, will take place.
On this important evening for all residents of Gdynia, the following artists will perform: Stokłosa Collective Orchestra conducted by Jan Stokłosa, Music Everywhere Choir, Natalia Kukulska, Margaret, Natalia Szroeder, Andrzej Piaseczny, Tomasz Organek, Natalia Muianga, Wiktor Dyduła, Szczyl, Gracjana Górka, Krzysztof Wojciechowski, Maja Gadzińska, Karolina Trębacz and the ICON by Starowicz dance group.
The artists will perform their greatest hits and iconic songs in special arrangements. The performers will guide the audience through the history of Gdynia – from a Kashubian village, through the construction of the port, dynamic development in the interwar period, the communist era, to the present day and a look into the future. Between performances, specially prepared film materials showing archival images, history and the contemporary face of Gdynia will be presented. The concert will be hosted by Paulina Sykut-Jeżyna and Tomasz Wolny.
The main media patron of the show is Telewizja Polsat. The event will be broadcast on Polsat on Friday, 20 February at 9:00 p.m.
Area for people with special needs
The venue will also have a specially prepared area for people with special needs – a raised platform for wheelchair users. Due to the limited number of places, allocation will be based on the order of applications, which can be sent to the following e-mail address: biuro.wydarzenia@gdynia.pl or by telephone on 58 527 39 61.
Final rehearsals before the concert
Video and editing: Sławomir Okoń
Final rehearsals for the concert are underway at a recording studio in Warsaw. Michał Bandurski (Sylwester z Dwójką, Must be the Music, a film about actress Anna Przybylska entitled ‘Ania’) is directing the event, and Sebastian Mikołajczak is producing it.
One of the stars who will sing in Gdynia is Natalia Kukulska. It turns out that the artist has many memories associated with our city – both from her childhood and from her performances at the Danuta Baduszkowa Music Theatre.
I associate Gdynia with sunshine, summer, holidays and childhood. That's when I visited here most often. But I also connect it with the Music Theatre. I remember that when I was a child, my dad [Jarosław Kukulski – ed. note] and Jonasz Kofta staged a musical called ‘Wielki świat’ (‘The Big World’) at this theatre. To be honest, it was a big world for me, because being close to the creation of such an artistic project was something incredible, says the singer.
In addition to artists who have been present on the Polish music scene for years, the show will also feature vocalists who are just starting their careers. Eleven-year-old Gracjana Górka, a talented finalist of the 12th edition of Polsat's talent show ‘Must Be The Music’, will also come to Gdynia.
Gracjana Górka, finalist of the 12th edition of Polsat's talent show ‘Must Be The Music’ during rehearsals for the concert celebrating the centenary of Gdynia (photo: Magda Śliżewska)
I would like to wish Gdynia and its residents all the best on the occasion of its centenary. Lots of sunshine, no cold water in the sea and wonderful celebrations for everyone on this centenary – Gracjana Górka wishes the residents of Gdynia.
When and where?
The concert will take place on 10 February at 8 p.m. at Kościuszki Square. The Mayor of Gdynia, Aleksandra Kosiorek, invites everyone to the birthday show. Participation in the event is free of charge, and we will also be able to get there and back by public transport free of charge. We encourage you to use it, as there will be changes to road traffic in the city between 7 and 10 February.
Main sponsors of the Gdynia centenary celebrations: PGE, Port of Gdynia.
Sponsor: OPEC.
Main partners: Stena Line, PGZ Stocznia Wojenna.
The event is held under the honorary patronage of the Prime Minister.
Main photo: Magda Śliżewska