The "Harfa Derwida" exhibition at the Theatre Museum Warsaw invites visitors to explore how early Polish legends and historical narratives were brought to life on stage. Discover captivating graphics from 19th and 20th-century performances alongside intricate stage designs by notable Polish artists. This exhibition delves into the construction of national imagination through theatrical interpretations of foundational myths.
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This exhibition explores the legendary and historical narratives of early Poland that have been adapted for the stage in the 19th and 20th centuries. It showcases graphics from historical performances and stage design projects by prominent Polish artists inspired by archaeological and ethnographic findings.
The exhibition 'Harfa Derwida' (The Harp of Derwid) examines the legendary and historical threads connected to the origins of the Polish state that found their way onto the stage during the 19th and 20th centuries. Visitors can expect to see graphics depicting 19th-century living pictures and performances inspired by legends and Józef Ignacego Kraszewski's 'Old Tale'. The exhibition also features stage design projects by renowned Polish artists such as Stanisław Wyspiański, Ferdynand Ruszczyc, Kazimierz Stabrowski, and Franciszek Siedlecki, who drew heavily on archaeological and ethnographic artifacts for their artistic visions. The exhibition's title alludes to the legendary bard from Juliusz Słowacki's drama 'Lilla Weneda', where the instrument symbolizes memory predating written chronicles. The content explores Poland's 'fabulous antiquity' – the period when collective memory speaks in symbols and the past exists primarily as narrative. It highlights how Polish drama, from Romanticism (Słowacki's 'Balladyna', 'Lilla Weneda'; Władysław Żeleński's opera 'Goplana') to Modernism (Cyprian Norwid's 'Krakus', 'Wanda'; Stanisław Wyspiański's 'Legenda', 'Bolesław Śmiały'), has revisited these foundational myths not for historical reconstruction, but to question the origins of national imagination and the construction of collective identity. The exhibition is designed for visitors of all ages and is accessible to people with disabilities.
Admission to the guided tours costs 5 PLN and is included with the exhibition ticket. A limited number of spots are available for each tour.
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