Polish gov’t inks deal to buy residence of composer Penderecki

Under a letter of intent signed by Culture Minister Piotr Gliński, the 30-hectare property in Lusławice, southern Poland, will in the future be transferred into government hands.

The property comprises a beautifully restored 18th-century manor, a 16th-century granary and an arboretum with 1,800 species of trees and bushes.

Penderecki has told Poland’s PAP news agency in an interview that the upkeep and maintenance of the residence were too much of a burden for him.

“If the Ministry of Culture is interested in purchasing the residence, it will surely be the best way to ensure that my work on it would not be wasted but will last,” he said.

His wife Elżbieta said that “this wonderful place will have a future as State Treasury property and continue to educate young musical talent.”

Gliński said he welcomed the prospect of developing the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music managed by the composer's wife “as a tribute to the great composer and an initiative serving Polish culture.”

The Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music is a modern facility that includes a concert hall seating 650, a chamber hall, rehearsal rooms, a recording studio and accommodation for visiting musicians and lecturers.

Born in 1933, Penderecki is among the most prominent living composers. His vast output includes operas, orchestral, chamber and choral works, large-scale vocal-instrumental compositions and solo concertos.

(mk/gs)