Entitled “Irena”, the musical was premiered last year by the Music Theatre in Poznań, western Poland.
Earlier this year, the company gave several performances of the show in Warsaw. Sunday’s performance at Berlin’s Admiralspalast is to be its first presentation abroad.
The director of the Music Theatre, Przemysław Kieliszewski, told the media that “this extraordinary story about the courageous people who saved the lives of so many children should reach as wide an audience as possible”.
“We trust that presented as a music drama, the story of Irena Sendler, which carries a universal message of human life as the highest value, is more accessible, particularly for the young audience”, he added.
The music for the production is by Poland’s Grammy-winning jazz pianist and composer Włodek Pawlik, with songs written by Mark Campbell.
The English-language libretto was written by US-based Polish-born Piotr Piwowarczyk and Mary Skinner, both of whom are co-authors of an American film about Irena Sendler In the Name of Their Mothers.
The production was directed by Brian Kite, Dean of the School of Theater, Film and Television at the University of California in Los Angeles, while choreography was in the hands of Dana Solimando, whose credits include several Broadway productions.
The Music Theatre describes “Irena” on its website as “a story about the courage that can overcome the greatest evil”.It further writes: “When the hell of World War II broke out, Irena Sendler was 29 years old. She couldn't stand idly by, she had to act. Day after day she put her life at risk by helping Jewish children. She obtained forged documents, food and medical care and placed children in trustworthy Polish families, churches and care facilities”.
In 1943, she was arrested by the Gestapo, tortured and sentenced to death. She was eventually saved prior to the execution.
Irena Sendler died in 2008, aged 98. She held the Righteous Among Nations title from the Yad Vashem Remembrance Institute in Jerusalem and the honorary citizenship of Israel. Her honours include the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest state distinction.
It is believed that Sendler managed to save about 500 Jewish children.
Irena Ficowska, one of them, is to attend the Berlin performance of the musical.
(mk/mo)