Page 208 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Krakow

206  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

Theatre, Music, Nightlife The Bagatela Theatre specializes
and Sports in light satirical productions. The
Teatr Lalki i Maski Groteska is
primarily a puppet theatre and
Krakow is famous for its cultural traditions. The renowned generally hosts performances
Stary Theatre gained its fame through productions directed for children. It has also staged
by Konrad Swinarski and counts as one of Europe’s leading a number of highly original
theatre companies. The city is filled with music of every kind, puppet plays for adults.
The experimental productions
from classical concerts and opera to hip-hop, techno, rock and of the world-famous Cricot 2
jazz. Cabarets continue the best of traditions that go back to theatre ceased following the
the beginning of the 20th century. As well as myriad cultural death of its radical founder and
events, Krakow also offers good sporting facilites for those director, Tadeusz Kantor, in 1990.
who like to keep active. The Cricoteka is a museum that
documents the history of this
major theatre and the art of
Major Venues Theatre Tadeusz Kantor, and includes
Krakow has two state-of-the- The first professional theatre photographs and set designs.
art concert venues which can company was established in Avant-garde traditions are main-
host an extraordinary variety Krakow in 1781, and today tained by Teatr Łaźnia Nowa, a
of events. Krakow Congress there are many theatres. leading contemporary theatre
Centre (ICE) is a sleek contem- The most renowned is Stary company based in Nowa Huta.
porary building with a silver- Teatr (Old Theatre), where
grey exterior. It contains a large some of the best actors, Opera and Ballet
auditorium, a theatre and an directors and set designers
impressive complex of spacious work. Performances are mostly After many years without a
halls. The centre can serve as a based on Polish and other permanent venue, the Opera
venue for cultural events such Eastern European classics Krakowska moved into its
as concerts, opera, and and Romantic literature. premises on ul. Lubicz in 2008.
theatrical and ballet perform- The Teatr im. Juliusza It continues to stage occasional
ances. The donut-shaped Słowackiego shares the same performances at various venues
Tauron Arena, just east of traditions and types of plays. across the city, including the
the centre, is an even more The building, modelled on courtyard of Wawel Castle and
futuristic-looking structure. A the Opéra Garnier in Paris, underground at the Wieliczka
multifunctional indoor sporting opened in 1893. Its splendid Salt Mines. The productions
and perfor-mance venue, the Art Nouveau interior features here include Galician all-time
arena has the capacity to a curtain designed by the favourites by Kalman, Lehar
accommodate up to 22,000 painter Henryk Hektor and the Strausses. Small-scale
people. Event schedules for Siemiradzki. As an added productions are held in the
both venues can be found on bonus, spectators may watch charmingly intimate Krakow
their respective websites. the performance from the box Chamber Opera in Kazimierz.
originally used by the Austro- For many years, ballet was
Hungarian Emperor, Franz rather unpopular in Krakow,
Cultural Organizations
Joseph and his wife Sissi. but regular performances
Krakow does not have a theatre The Krakowski Teatr Scena now take place at the Opera
company that performs in a Stu gained fame through Krakowska building.
foreign language on a perma- unconventional performances,
nent basis but the city sometimes staged in the open Cabaret
occasionally hosts foreign air, and other grand productions.
theatre companies, which In their main venue in aleja Cabaret artists are much
perform in their own languages. Krasińkiego, their performances in demand in Krakow and it is
A number of bodies, such are pre-dominantly of the wise to book tickets early to
as the Institut Français, the classics. Benefit performances avoid missing out. Opened
Goethe Institut, the Instituto celebrating theatre stars take in 1956, the literary Piwnica
Cervantes de Cracovia, the place here, and are broadcast by Pod Baranami is the longest-
Istituto Italiano di Cultura television. These have became running cabaret in Krakow
and the Manggha Japanese classics in their own right. and is famous throughout
Centre of Art and Technology, The Ludowy Theatre in Poland. Despite the death of
are all actively involved in Nowa Huta has a young cast its founder Piotr Skrynecki in
artistic patronage. They usually who perform not only in Nowa 1997, the cabaret continues
organize events in the language Huta but also in two other and is very popular. The Loch
of their country, and infor- venues in Krakow – in the Camelot is artistically affiliated
mation about these events can cellars beneath the Town Hall to the Piwnica and also
be obtained from InfoKraków. and in Kanonicza Street. performs in cellars.