Polish conductor Jan Krenz celebrates 90th birthday
PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk
14.07.2016 13:55
Jan Krenz, one of Poland’s most distinguished conductors, has turned 90. He belongs to a generation of musicians who laid the foundations for a revival in music in Poland after World War II.
Photo: Jesse Kruger/Flickr.com
Krenz began his studies, in piano and composition, during the German occupation, and continued after the war, in composition and conducting.
He made his debut as a conductor in 1946 in the central city of Łódź. In 1953, at the age of 27, he succeeded Grzegorz Fitelberg as music director of the Great Symphony Orchestra of Polish Radio in Katowice, southern Poland, and held the post for 14 years.
Later he served as Artistic Director of the Grand Opera in Warsaw. His productions of ”Otello”, ”Electra” and ”Boris Godunov” went down in the annals of Polish opera history as outstanding achievements.
Krenz has also won acclaim as a composer. He has received numerous awards for his artistic achievements as well as several state distinctions.
Among the many wishes he received on his birthday is one from President Andrzej Duda. In a letter, the president expressed gratitude for the maestro’s many years of work and commitment to Poland’s cultural life. (mk/pk)