This year's final of the 15th edition of the National Reading alternatively of the Saski Garden was held at noon, 5 September, in Krakowskie Przedmieście in front of the church of the presumption of the NMP and St. The lesson read this year was all (released) parts of the drama of the neo-Grodian witch: "The Children".
The inauguration began with the appearance of musicians and vocalists: the choir Monodia Polska, founded by Adam Strugwho besides played the function of Guslar. It is worth mentioning that last year the performers besides honored this event with their performance.
Read: ‘Warsaw. XIV National Reading. Kochanowski Wika/Strug/Monodia Polska".
Just before 12 p.m. driving Agnieszka Oszczyk invited viewers to watch a recording of the Lithuanian president Gitanasa Nausėdywho joined the action, reading a fragment of Mickiewicz's work in Lithuanian. The presidential couple – honorary patron of the event – then spoke.
Poster of the National Reading Final 2026. Graphics: organizers. Click to enlarge.Marta Nawrocka pointed out the uniqueness of the place of this year's finale and the symbolic return to Adam Mickiewicz's work. It was “Mr Tadeusz” who read the first edition of the National Reading in 2012. Karol Nawrocki, in turn, stressed the importance of sustaining the spirit of the nation and the function of a foreman, without whom he stated, “there is no Polish literature”. Together they read a passage containing 1 of the most celebrated quotes from the 3rd part of the drama: “If I forget them, You, God in heaven, forget me.”
An crucial and symbolic accent was besides the presence of Cichanousska Światlana, 1 of the most crucial figures of the Belarusian opposition.
The second part of “The grandfathers”, presented as the first, stood under the sign of a choir singing mantrically: “Dark everywhere, deafly everywhere, / What will it be, what will it be?” and then successively emerging spirits: Peter Zapert and Bazheny Shamovich as Józia and Rózi, Krzysztof Kumor in the function of the Evil Lord and Margaret Nowińska as shepherds of Zosia.
The music setting of the 4th part provided Aistė Bružaitės, performing works on the conventional Lithuanian instrument: cankles. In acting roles, they performed: Simon Kuśmider as Priest and Aleksander Buchowiecki as Gustav. Buchowecki besides proved to be the main voice in the explanation of the last part – the third, where he played in the function of Konrad Great Improvisation.
The 15th edition of National Reading distinguished itself by its diversity and openness to another cultures. Apart from Polish actors, artists from Lithuania and Belarus were besides on stage. The participation of the Lithuanian president in this year's celebration besides shows how much Adam Mickiewicz's character connects Poles and Lithuanians and how willingly both nations share his heritage.
The method and organisational side of the event should besides be well assessed. However, the location itself proved little comfortable for the audience, which was outside the audience. The large size of the screens on which the performers appeared along with information about the characters they played, as well as the displayed didaskalia, made the viewers not lost in the scenes presented.
Once again, there was a large interest in the stand of the INP Publishing House, where books could be obtained free of charge. The President's Chancellery presented itself little than in erstwhile years. Under the shelter there were only candy and conventional postcards with the image of the presidential couple, bearing a commemorative stamp. 1 thing has not changed – the ladies at the stand, as always, were kind and kind.
There is inactive a historical context. It was in 1968 that the exhibition of “Dziads” directed by Kazimierz Dejmek, with the outstanding function of Gustav Holoubek, became the beginning of events that went into past as March ’68. Protests against the photograph of the performance from the afisz began at the University of Warsaw and rapidly turned into student speeches against the policy of the PRL authorities. The University of Warsaw is just 200 metres distant from Mickiewicz Square.
Krakowskie Przedmieście, girls with bags of books from Wyd. IPN during the NC final. Fotto: Mariusz Baryła / Gazeta Trybunalska. Click to enlarge.‘The grandfathers’ are not the most popular school readings. In an acting interpretation, enhanced by music and the setting of the full spectacle, they gain a completely different dimension. You can see that by watching the evidence of the event.
And next year, the election was made on “Lord Jim” by Józef Theodor Konrad Korzenowski, in the planet known as Joseph Conrad. This fresh will be the reading of the National Reading in 2027.
→ Julia Olszewska / cooperation (mb)
6.09.2026
• Photo: Mariusz Barył / paper Tribunalska
• title photo: actors participating in the show, photo: Mariusz Barył / Gazeta Trybunalska
Julia Olszewska (born 2005 in Opoczno) – a student at the University of Wrocław in the direction of “Culture and practice of text, creative writing and editing”. She graduated from the VII LO Juliusz Słowacki in Warsaw. She is simply a associate of the Reportage Youth Course organized by the Polish School of Reportage.It publishes on the portal "Cross". He is curious in poetry, reporting, linguistics and widely understood comedy. A debut in the "Tribunalska Newspaper".
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• about erstwhile editions of National Reading: > Here.
