Methodology

Students chose their famous national character and read that person's biography.
The biography became a base for creating dialogues of scenes from the character's life and work.
Subsequently, they chose the roles, memorized them and acted them out.
In each school a short video film was recorded on the chosen national character.

Students from each country were given the names of the other characters,
whose biographies needed to be discovered before the LTTA in Lithuania. 
They prepared questions about their own character.

During the workshops they presented their videos, some of them dressed up, and took part in a quiz organized in the local library about the characters they were reading about.

Below there are the videos and an example of the dialogue.

Famous characters

Italy - Leonardo da Vinci 

Poland - Fryderic Chopin

Greece - Aristophanes 

Lithuania - Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis 

Turkey - Mevlana  (Rumi)

An example of a dialogue about one of the chosen characters

Frideric Chopin

Scene I Childhood
(Dzieciństwo)

(Głos wprowadzający - osoba niewidoczna odczytuje informacje wstępne o Szopenie, najazd kamery na mapę Polski z miejscowością Żelazowa Wola, dworek, Warszawa)

VOICE

Not far from Warsaw on the Utrata River lies the village of Żelazowa Wola. It was here, on the 1st of March 1822, that the world-famous composer Frideric Chopin was born. Soon afterwards, he and his parents settled in the capital city in the Saxon Palace.

Fryderyk's parents were very musical. His mother Justyna played the piano, his father Mikołaj the violin and flute. The family would often sit in the living room and pass the time playing their instruments. Fryderyk and his sisters absorbed the sounds of music.

 (Pałac Saski, rodzina Chopinów w salonie; fortepian, przy którym zasiada matka, dzieci: Ludwika, Izabela, Emilia, Fryderyk zasłuchane w dźwięki muzyki; towarzyszy im ojciec).

Mozart Sonata A dur KV331

EMILIA (daughter)

Mum, play something for us! You play the piano so beautifully!

DAD

Yes, my dear wife, it's true! Music calms us down. Look at our children. They are so happy and joyful.  Frederic absorbs every sound!

(Pani Justyna gra; Fryderyk siada obok matki ) Mozart Marsz turecki

FRYDERYK

Mother, I too can already play the piano. I composed a piece that Mr Żywny, my piano teacher, called the Polonaise in G minor.

 (Zaczyna grać, kamera pokazuje Szopena imitującego grę, słychać dźwięki muzyki)

Polonez G mol

MOTHER

A wonderful child. He is only 7 years old!

 Scene II Examination, music school
(egzamin, szkoła muzuczna)

 VOICE

Chopin developed his musical skills at the High School of Music under the guidance of Józef Elsner. At that time he composed rondos, mazurkas, piano concertos and fantasies. He graduated from the school with honours. On the certificate, next to the grade, it was written: " Special ability. Musical genius."

( sala egzaminacyjna, profesor otwiera drzwi, do sali wchodzi Chopin, siada za fortepianem, zaczyna grać, muzyka w tle "Fantazję Impromptu").

TEACHER

Mr Fryderyk Chopin - welcome to the exam. Please, play a rondo... .

Rondo a la Mazur op.5/”Fantazja-impromptu” WN 46 (Op.66)

TEACHER

I have no words to express my admiration for your playing. I have awarded you the highest grade. I wish you continued success! Europe should recognise your talent! You must play!

CHOPIN

With the greatest pleasure. Thank you, Professor!

Scene III - youth, love
(młodość, miłość)

 VOICE

The years 1829-1830 are the period of Chopin's first love for Konstancja Gladkowska, a singer at the National Theatre in Warsaw. It was she who turned out to be Chopin's muse. Influenced by this youthful love, he wrote the Concerto in E minor. The newspaper 'Kurier Warszawski' described him as the Paganini of the piano. The Warsaw audience cheered endlessly. Unfortunately, this was Chopin's last concert in the country. He left for Europe to achieve world fame.

Fragment of the E minor Concerto
Koncert f-moll cz.II Largetto

 Scene IV - Homeland in need!
(Ojczyzna w potrzebie)

CHOPIN (monologue)

The Warsaw Uprising has ended in defeat. How sad I am... .
I worry about the fate of my loved ones. Oh, if I could be in my homeland now with those close to my heart. I am overcome by strong feelings of longing and anger, sadness and anxiety... I can only express these emotions through music.

Excerpt from the Revolutionary Etude in C minor - Etiuda rewolucyjna c-moll

Scene V - In the artistic capital of the world - Paris!
(W artystycznej stolicy świata Paryżu)

VOICE

Chopin becomes famous in the salons of Paris. He befriends George Sand- the famous novelist . Tuberculosis, which he has suffered from since his youth, increasingly torments him. He dies on 17th of October 1849. His friends are by his side. Even his beloved sister Ludwika arrives.

The dying Chopin asked for his heart to be transported to his beloved homeland after his death. This is what happened. His body rests in France, his heart in Warsaw, and his music is known all over the world!

Waltz Des-dur