Polish Radio – Studio 1 named after Pianist Szpilman
PR dla Zagranicy
John Beauchamp
25.09.2011 13:01
After thorough refurbishment, Polish Radio’s Studio 1 has been re-opened and named after Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish musician of Jewish origin whose war-time plight was made by Roman Polanski into the Oscar-winning film ‘The Pianist’.
At the opening ceremony at the Polish Radio buildings in Warsaw, Sunday, Halina Szpilman, the pianist’s wife unveiled the commemorative plaque outside the studio.
The opening is one of the current events marking the 100th birth anniversary of Szpilman.
Wladyslaw Szpilman joined Polish Radio in 1935, with his last live performance aired on 23 September 1939, before being interrupted by gunshots.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of Polish Radio Andrzej Siezieniewski said that during the occupation of Warsaw, a number of colleagues from the radio helped hide Szpilman.
After the war, he served as director of Polish Radio’s music department for 18 years. He died in 2000. (jb)
Source: IAR