Polish Baltic F. Chopin Philharmonic in

Gdańsk Gdańsk ( , also ; ; csb, Gduńsk;Stefan Ramułt, ''Słownik języka pomorskiego, czyli kaszubskiego'', Kraków 1893, Gdańsk 2003, ISBN 83-87408-64-6. , Johann Georg Theodor Grässe, ''Orbis latinus oder Verzeichniss der lateinischen Benen ...

(full name in Polish: ''Polska Filharmonia Bałtycka im. Fryderyka Chopina w Gdańsku'') is a concert hall located in Ołowianka,

History

Polish Baltic F. Chopin Philharmonic was founded in 1945 as Gdańsk

Symphony Orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...

. The inaugural concert took place on September 29 in

Sopot Sopot is a seaside resort city in Pomerelia on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000. It is located in Pomeranian Voivodeship, and has the status of the county, being the smallest ci ...

. In 1949 it changed its name to Polish Baltic Philharmonic. In 1953 it was combined with opera department and changed into Polish Baltic Opera and Philharmonic (POiFB). After forming a new symphony orchestra in 1974, Baltic Philharmonic was transformed into independent Polish Baltic F. Chopin Philharmonic in 1993. Prof. Roman Perucki, the artistic director of Polish Baltic F. Chopin Philharmonic in Gdańsk, is a well-known organ virtuoso as well as the winner of numerous international prizes. He performs all over the world and is considered to be the founder of the International Organ Music Festival at the Oliwa Cathedral, which is Poland's oldest festival of its kind. In September 2008, Kai Bumann became the new artistic director of the F. Chopin Baltic Philharmonic. Berlin-born, he was previously the artistic director of the

Kraków Opera The Opera Krakowska (also known as the Kraków Opera) is an opera house located in Kraków, Poland. It was founded in 1954 in postwar Kraków, although the tradition of opera in the city dates back to 1628 when the first ever full libretto in Po ...

during the 1997/1998 season.

Building

The building, which houses the Baltic Philharmonic Hall today was constructed in 1897-1898 as a power station with a

neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

façade A façade () (also written facade) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a loan word from the French (), which means ' frontage' or ' face'. In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important aspect ...

. The seat of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic is a complex of buildings at the former plant of the late nineteenth century, located on the island of Ołowianka in

. After the plant was closed in 1996, it was subsequently adapted between 1996-2005 as a concert hall. This urban power station was built between 1897-1898 by the Berlin firm of

Siemens & Halske Siemens & Halske AG (or Siemens-Halske) was a German electrical engineering company that later became part of Siemens. It was founded on 12 October 1847 as ''Telegraphen-Bauanstalt von Siemens & Halske'' by Werner von Siemens and Johann Ge ...

, with further expansion continuing through 1913. This brick building with its elegant

façade is decorated with rosettes, turrets and even two tower. During the final months of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, the complex suffered severe damage. Launched back in August 1945 the power plant operated until its closure in 1996. The reconstruction, development and adaptation of these buildings was done by the architectural studio of Martin Kozikowski and KD Kozikowski Design. The Baltic Philharmonic is composed of seven segments, including: *the main concert hall of 1,000 seats *chamber music hall for 200 seats *two multi-purpose halls *foyer (exhibition room, 808 sq ft) *hotel for 60 In 2007, a bronze bust of

Frédéric Chopin Frédéric François Chopin (born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin; 1 March 181017 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period, who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown as a leadin ...

, the patron of the Baltic Philharmonic, by sculptor Gennady Jerszow was placed in the Philharmonic.

Main concert hall

Main concert hall has 1,000 seats. Its acoustics designed by Witold Straszewicz along with Eve Więckowska-Kosmala. It is equipped with the latest lighting and sound system, simultaneous interpretation, hearing assistance system and a system of static and dynamic projection. A specially designed movable ceiling screens and room finishes allow for easy customization of acoustics. It also operates a modern system combines fiber allowing radio and television broadcasts. The main auditorium has 1,100 seats. The Philharmonic was the venue for the Wikimania 2010 international conference.

References

External links

Polska Filharmonia Bałtycka
{{Authority control Buildings and structures in Gdańsk Polish orchestras Polish culture Concert halls in Poland Tourist attractions in Gdańsk Musical groups established in 1945

History

Building

Main concert hall

See also

References

External links