From Richard Wagner to Tina Turner

Sopot is not only a wellknown health resort, but also a centre of culture. BART - Baltic Artistic Agency is one of the municipal culture institutions. The agency manages the famous Forest Opera and organises Sopot Festival. Each year Polish fans can admire their favourite idols on the stage such as for example: Bryan Adams, Texas, or Italian stars. This year BART started to organise culture events on the area of Sopot Hippodrome. Everybody has heard about a successful concert of Tina Turner. Fifty five thousand of fans came to meet Tina in the hippodrome and millions of them watched her on TV.

Forest Opera in Sopot was built in 1909 to stage Wagner Operas. It became very famous as a Wagner music centre and in that time Sopot was called "Northern Bayreuth". The Festivals ended at the beginning of the Second World War. In 1998 the Festival was brought back to the Forest Opera. This year we admired the magnificent Richard Wagner's "Tannhaüser" accompanied by Middle Age picnic and George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" with famous black singers and great jazz musicians.

Near the Forest Opera there is a newly built Concert Hall which belongs to the Polish Chamber Orchestra. Conducted by Wojciech Rajski, Polish Chamber Orchestra is renowned for its professional performances in the whole Europe.

Sopot is also very famous of its art. Because of its beauty and unique climate, a lot of artists chose Sopot for their homes. The charm of little towers and verandas and the delicate wind from the sea creates specific atmosphere which let artists create in peace. A chamber centre of culture is situated in Sierakowski Manor House, the seat of Friends of Sopot Society. The Society organises small art exhibitions, chamber classical music concerts and jazz concerts. Sopot Molo Jazz Festival is organised each summer. A lot of very good Polish jazz musicians come to Sopot to give concerts, some of them settled there as well. Sopot is also famous for its theatre - Atelier theatre presents the original mixture of Polish, German and Jewish works, art and songs.

In 1901 Sopot received city rights. Next year we will celebrate a Hundred Birthday of Sopot. The calendar of anniversary events is under preparation. A name of a music mega-star to visit Sopot in 2001 is kept secret...