On a Saturday afternoon of 7 September 2024, the Lithuanian city of Kėdainiai will have a chance to become acquainted with Jan Kochanowski’s verses. A stage reading of Jan Kochanowski’s "Epigrams" in Lithuanian will begin at 4:00 PM as part of the Radviliada Festival. The event takes place at the Evangelical-Reformed Church, the basement of which houses a mausoleum of the Radziwill family.
Jan Kochanowski’s "Epigrams" in Lithuanian
In 2023, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, in cooperation with the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore and the Regional Museum in Kėdainiai, published Jan Kochanowski’s "Epigrams" in Lithuanian. The writer introduced this literary genre into Polish literature and derived its Polish name “fraszka” from the Italian “frasca” (trifle). The work of the Renaissance poet was nearly forgotten in Lithuania, but is now enjoying increasing attention. The performative reading in Kėdainiai will be the second edition of the event.
A collection of Jan Kochanowski’s poetry, comprised of three books, contains an introduction and extensive commentaries. 320 epigrams – including the mottos – were translated, which posed quite a challenge for their translator, Regina Koženiauskienė. The nature of the texts is extremely varied: humorous and frivolous pieces are accompanied by more contemplative works. Some of the Epigrams are written in direct language, while others have hidden messages and a multi-layer structure. On 7 September 2024, a Lithuanian audience will have an opportunity to hear Kochanowski’s works at the Radviliada Festival dedicated to the cultural patronage of the Radziwill family.
Performative reading in a musical setting in Kėdainiai
Not only will the Epigrams offer a glimpse into the Renaissance poet’s work and his extraordinary knack for the written word, but they will also allow listeners to take a fresh look at the morality of the 16th century. Jan Kochanowski accompanied King Sigismund II Augustus on his travels to Vilnius and he was also hosted at the voivode of Vilnius, Mikołaj Radziwill’s residence in Buivydiškių. His works reflect the reality he was part of. Almost four centuries later, his work is again present in Lithuania.
In charge of the stage reading concept and direction will be Jaroslav Kilian, a theatre director, who invited to this end esteemed Lithuanian actors: Birute Mar and Vladas Bagdonas. The musical setting accompanying the performative reading has been created by Prof. Maria Pomianowska, together with a Polish-Lithuanian early music ensemble: Aleksandra Kauf-Tyrała (folk fiddle, vocals), Anna Klimczyk (folk fiddle, vocals), Aistė Bružaitė (kankles) and Saulius Petreikis (multi-instrumentalist).
The event is co-organised by the Radviliada Festival in Kėdainiai, the Regional Museum in Kėdainiai and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, in cooperation with the Polish Institute in Vilnius.