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Warsaw | Premiere of "The Righteous" oratorio

Sprawiedliwe2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mother Matylda Getter from the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary who, together with her sisters, saved several thousand Jewish children from the ghetto during World War II. To commemorate this occasion, the AVE Foundation and the Mother General of the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary Janina Kierstan, commissioned the oratorio The Righteous from Aldona Kraus and Jerzy Cembrzyński. The premiere of the work will take place on 11 October 2020.

The piece will be presented on 11 October twice: at 3.30 p.m. at the St John's Archcathedral in Warsaw and at 7.00 p.m. in the Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland in Marki-Pustelnik. The oratorio will be performed by soloists Małgorzata Rudnicka, Michał Rajewski, Bogdan Śliwa, and Ewa Bogucka, choirs Ave, Tibi Domine from Goniądz, Collegium Cantorum from Chełmno and Warlubski Chamber Choir as well as instrumentalists of the Warsaw Philharmonic under the direction of Barbara Hijewska. The whole performance will be accompanied by a historical back story.

The Convent of the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary at Żelazna street adjoined the Warsaw ghetto during the occupation. It was this house and the nuns living there that played a key role in saving Jewish children. They saved at least half a thousand children and two hundred and fifty adults, and these are only documented "cases". "I am saving a man who asks for help" – used to say the then superior of the Warsaw Convent and the spiritus movens of the whole action, Mother Matylda Getter, honored with the "Righteous Among the Nations" award.

The Righteous oratorio for soloists, mixed choir and orchestra, dedicated to heroic nuns, was created by Jerzy Cembrzyński, Grammy winner associated with the National Philharmonic, and poet Aldona Kraus.

Admission to the concerts is free, however, seat reservation is required: http://fundacjaave.pl/ , tel. 608 178 447.