Henryk Wieniawski in Poznań
Concert List
1854
3 concerts:
21, 22, 23 April (Friday-Sunday); Venue: Municipal Theatre (present-day "Arcadia" building in Wolności Square)
In the first years of his artistic career, Henryk Wieniawski toured and performed with his brother, Józef. After a series of successful concerts in Berlin, on 2 April 1854 they arrived in Poznań at the invitation of Fr. Wallner, director of the Municipal Theatre. Together with their mother, Regina, née Wolff, they stayed at the non-existent "Drezdeński" Hotel located in the wing added at right angle to the Raczyński Library (in present-day Karola Marcinkowskiego Avenue).
8 concerts:
9, 11,13, 15, 26 June (Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Monday); Venue: "Bazar" Hotel
29 June, 2 and 4 July (Thursday, Sunday, Tuesday); Venue: Municipal Theatre
The young artists returned to the capital of the Wielkopolska region on 1 June 1854. This time, their visit was longer: it lasted more than a month (!). They stayed at the "Bazar" Hotel, where they also played their concerts. It was a special time for Poznań, marked by sumptuous St John's fairs. Concerts by the Wieniawski brothers were a great attraction for the Wielkopolska landed gentry, who flocked to the town for commercial and social reasons. The concert held on 15 June was a charity event: all proceeds went to the Scientific Aid Society (TPN - Towarzystwo Pomocy Naukowej). Newspapers of the day reported that between 15 and 26 June, the Wieniawskis took a rest in Miłosław, the country estate of a lover of art and friend of artists, count Seweryn Mielżyński. Interestingly enough, on 29 June, the Day of Peter and Paul, the patron saints of Poznań, local aristocracy organised a great ball in honour of the young artists, which was held at the Hunter's Palace in Dębina Forest. Although the concert on 2 July was announced to be the last, the brothers performed once again on 4 July, at a special concert, whose proceeds supported a Cracow-based actors' troupe headed by Juliusz Pfeiffer.
1857
5 concerts:
24 and 27 June (Wednesday, Saturday); Venue: "Bazar" Hotel;
28 June, 2 and 3 July (Sunday, Thursday, Friday); Venue: Municipal Theatre
In 1857, Henryk Wieniawski came to Poznań alone, for in 1855, exactly a year after their previous visit to Poznań, the brothers' artistic paths had parted. The first of the five concerts was a charity event organised by Duchess Marcelina Czartoryska; its proceeds went to TPN, the first philanthropic institution in the Polish territories founded to provide assistance to talented, yet impoverished Polish youth from Prussia-annexed lands. The TPN was established by Karol Marcinkowski and Karol Liebelt.
1878
2 concerts:
23 November (Saturday); Venue: "Bazar" Hotel
10 December (Tuesday); Venue: "Odeon" [Odeum] Lambert Hall (in present-day "Apollo" Passageway)
In 1878, over twenty years later, Henryk Wieniawski came to Poznań twice more. These turned out to be the last two concerts in the town. The first, featuring a Norwegian singer Lona Gulowsen, and a German pianist Helena Geisler, was held at the "Bazar" Hotel. The other, final concert, which was held at the invitation of the Young Merchant Association at the Odeon Hall, was a closed event.
