Blooming Roses of Grace

William Shakespeare / John Dowland
12 December 2026 | Aula Leopoldina, University of Wrocław

A programme dedicated to the works of William Shakespeare and the music of John Dowland evokes the world of Elizabethan England. Love, transience, beauty, and the fragility of human fate are revealed through poetry and music that, despite the passage of centuries, retain extraordinary freshness and power of expression.

Shakespeare and Dowland are among the most important artists of their era. Their work combines an extraordinary ability to speak of universal matters — love, time, solitude, and transience. The programme evokes the world of Renaissance England, where music and poetry were a natural part of reflection on human destiny.

Irena Josifowska – cello
Irena Josifowska is a multi-award-winning cellist, laureate of the Gabrielli International Cello Competition in Berlin and the Prix Jean-Nicolas Firmenich awarded by Verbier Festival Academy. She studied under distinguished pedagogues and pursues her artistic activities across Germany, Switzerland, and other European countries.

She has performed at prestigious festivals including Verbier Festival, Krzyżowa-Music, and Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, collaborating with world-class artists including Gidon Kremer, Steven Isserlis, and Christian Tetzlaff.
Her work encompasses both solo and chamber performances. Particularly important to her are projects that create dialogue between music, literature, and scenic space. Her interpretations are valued for their noble sound, expressiveness, and great artistic freedom.

Justyna Szafran – narration
Justyna Szafran is among Poland's most distinguished performers of theatrical and literary song. She is associated with the Capitol Musical Theatre in Wrocław, where she has created many outstanding stage roles and original musical productions.
Winner of all major awards at the Wrocław Theatrical Song Review, she has long been recognized