The tour also includes performances in Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Belgium and France, followed by dates in Slovakia and the Czech Republic in June.
Organized under the motto "The Cultural Bridges of Europe," the tour is one of the highlights of the cultural programme of Poland’s presidency in the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2025.
The organizers describe the concerts as a music-and-dance journey through Poland showcasing a diversity of the nation’s folk heritage.
The bulk of the repertoire consists of songs written or arranged by Stanisław Hadyna, who co-founded the ensemble over seven decades ago, as well as Polish national dances—such as the polonaise, mazur, kujawiak and oberek—choreographed by fellow co-founder Elwira Kamińska.
The programme also includes music by Wojciech Kilar (1932-2013), a Polish composer who drew heavily on Polish folk heritage.
The Śląsk Song and Dance Ensemble is based in Koszęcin, in Poland's southern Silesian region.
(mk/gs)