Coming soon! Get ready for Re:tradition – The Jagiellonian Fair (August 18-20, 2023) – a thrilling three-day celebration of traditional culture! Once again, the charming streets of Lublin will come alive with the sounds of traditional music, dance, and the exquisite craftsmanship on display. Curious about the musical tapestry we’ll weave for this year’s event? Well, the wait is over as we unveil the first glimpses of this multi-threaded fabric! And guess what? The festival is proudly part of the European Youth Capital Lublin 2023 programme!
Re:tradition – The Jagiellonian Fair Festival is an event that emphasizes both tradition and its creative continuation. We use it as a basis to weave together our programme, including musical treats.
Prepare to be enchanted by musical encounters throughout the festival in the scenic Błonia near the Castle. Our lineup of artists, carefully selected for this year’s edition, will demonstrate the vast creative possibilities that tradition offers – from the captivating melodies, unique instrumentation, to the soul-stirring vocals. You’ll experience a captivating blend of artists who carefully revive traditional melodies and songs through their research, as well as musicians who use tradition as a springboard for their innovative creations, seamlessly merging traditional music and vocals with fresh and exciting sounds – says Karolina Waszczuk, the Festival Director.
Musical Programme:
August 18, 2023 (Friday)
- 19:30-22:30 | re:tradition concert | Festival Stage, Błonia near the Castle
This incredible evening sets the stage for the festival’s musical feast. Brace yourself for a one-of-a-kind production by Workshops of Culture – the re:tradition concert, where acclaimed artists join forces with representatives of the traditional music and singing. What surprises await us this year? Well, that’s a secret for now, keeping the excitement alive!
- 19:30-22:30 | Puuluup [EST]; Lolomis [FRA] | Festival Stage, Błonia near the Castle
The Estonian group Puuluup will introduce us to the enchanting sound of the talharpa – a traditional instrument once associated primarily with the Swedish community of Vormsi Island. The talharpa, known since the Middle Ages, miraculously survived into the 20th century, and since the beginning of this century, it has been attracting a growing number of enthusiasts fascinated by its unique sound. The performance by Puuluup will certainly be brimming with uniqueness and originality. While they incorporate traditional instruments, they find entirely new and surprising places for them in their music. Their own compositions, contemporary and satirical lyrics, electronic effects, and experimental playing techniques are just some of the surprises that Ramo Teder and Marko Veisson will treat the audience to.
The second concert will feature the French band Lolomis. The fusion of diverse sounds, languages, and emotions they create defies categorisation into a single musical genre. The charismatic vocalist Romane Claudel-Ferragui sings lyrics borrowed from the traditions of many distinct regions across Europe. The blend of acoustic and electronic sounds is the work of harpist Elodie Messmer, flutist Stélios Lazarou, and percussionist Louis Delignon. Their music serves as a backdrop for stories about love, life, and death, proving that sometimes there’s no need to set boundaries for one’s imagination. Modern sounds inspired by traditional texts, intensity, richness, and mystery – these are just a few keywords that attempt to capture what awaits the audience on August 19th.
August 20, 2023 (Sunday)
- 14:00-15:00 | Wernyhora [POL] | Dominican Basilica, Złota 9
Every year, the Sunday music programme begins with a concert in the historic interiors of the Dominican Basilica. This time, the space will be filled with the music of the band Wernyhora. The trio from Sanok will take the audience on a journey into the musical world of the Boykos, guided by the group’s vocalist, Daria Kosiek, as she explores this realm for herself and the listeners. She will be accompanied by Anna Oklejewicz and Maciej Harna, who play historical instruments. As the granddaughter of the displaced Boykos from Bieszczady mountains, Daria seeks out melodies that might have been sung by her ancestors. She revives the original melodies and lyrics, which are given new musical arrangements. Wernyhora’s compositions combine a wealth of emotions with a thoughtful and simple form. The focus is not on exact reconstruction, but rather on exploring unique ways to present the sounds of the past.
- 19.30–22.30 | Odpoczno [POL]; Balkan Taksim [ROU] | Festival Stage, Błonia pod Zamkiem
The Festival Stage is where tradition and mopdernity come together, as collective experiences intertwine with individual creativity. It’s a convergence of diverse paths, and the groups performing on Sunday evening navigate these paths gracefully. Odpoczno is a diverse ensemble, with members who have different different musical fascinations, rich experiences, and unique ideas on expressing the contemporary language of traditional Polish village music. They build upon traditional melodies from the Opoczno region, blending them with new sounds. This mosaic wasn’t created easily—it’s the result of many experiments and the search for the right effects to create a cohesive whole while staying true to tradition. The musicians allowed themselves time for these explorations and delved into Opoczno folklore, embracing reinterpretation to respectfully bring its old traditions into a modern context. Marcin Lorenc’s violins intertwine with Marek Kądziel’s guitar and Piotr Gwadera’s percussion. Joanna Szczęsnowicz’s vocals and distinctive electronic effects add the finishing touch.
The second performance of the evening will feature the Romanian group Balkan Taksim. Sașa-Liviu Stoianovici, a multi-instrumentalist, and Alin Zăbrăuțeanu, an electronic sound designer, draw inspiration from the rich heritage of the Balkans. Their influences span across Serbian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Albanian, Turkish, and Aromanian music. Sașa-Liviu travelled extensively throughout the Balkans, collaborating with local instrumentalists and singers. He sought out musicians in the Botoșani region, recorded Aromanian songs and narratives, and explored Anatolia, where he discovered the Turkish saz. The songs performed by Balkan Taksim sometimes preserve the original lyrics and melodic elements, while other times they rely on the raw sound of traditional instruments. This foundation is then rearranged to showcase a nuanced musical landscape of the Balkans and its neighbouring regions, accompanied by the distinctive vocals of the lead singer.
After the concerts on Friday and Saturday, we would also like to invite you to join us for some lively dance parties. We will provide you with more information about these events in the near future.
Re:tradition – The Jagiellonian Fair Festival
August 18-20, 2023
Lublin – Old Town, Błonia near the Castle
Admission free
More information: retradycja.eu
Organisers: Workshops of Culture in Lublin, Cultural Institution of the City of Lublin, Lublin – City of Inspiration
Honorary Patronage: Mayor of Lublin – Krzysztof Żuk
Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
This year’s edition of Re:tradition – The Jagiellonian Fair Festival is one of the events of the European Youth Capital Lublin 2023.
