Artistic director, choreographer, leading instructor – Helena Szuhalska
The Early Music and Dance Ensemble “CAPELLA ANTIQUA BIALOSTOCIENSIS” was established in 1998 as an instrumental, vocal and dance ensemble; Currently, the team’s dance group is working and consists of 36 people. The members of the ensemble are children and youth from schools in Białystok, who perform in costumes modeled on original Renaissance and Baroque court costumes. They look particularly beautiful against the background of historic architecture, e.g. “Versailles of Podlasie” – the palace of Hetman Jan Klemens Branicki.
The ensemble’s repertoire includes Old French, Italian, English and Polish court dances. The band actively participates in the cultural life of the city and the region, also gives concerts in other Polish cities (including the Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle in Szczecin, Malbork Castle, Archaeological Museum, Royal Castle in Warsaw, Tarnów Town Hall, Pułtusk Castle, Wawel Castle, Krakow Market Square, Sukiennice, Villa Decius, Erazm Ciołek’s Bishop’s Palace, Krzysztofory Palace, Szczepański Square, Grobla Square in Krakow, Main Market Square in Wrocław, Jasna Góra Basilica in Częstochowa, Pieskowa Skała Castle, Royal Castle in Niepołomice, Kalisz Cathedral in Kalisz, Podonowski Palace in Bugaj near Raszków, the Czartoryski Castle in Gołuchów) and abroad: Russia, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Czech Republic, Germany. The concert at the Branicki family’s summer residence in Choroszcz was recorded by Regional Television in Białystok.
The group is a multiple laureate of the National Festival of Early Music Ensembles “Schola Cantorum” in Kalisz, where it won three Bronze Eola Harps (2001, 2008, 2009), five Silver Eola Harps (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012), the Wielkopolska Province Governor’s Award ( 2002) and the Award of the Wielkopolska Superintendent of Education (2004). In 2006, the band won the Golden Harp of Eola and the GRAND PRIX of the Festival. It participated twice in the International Festival “Bydgoskie Musical Impressions” (2002 and 2004). Since 2001, the group has been taking part in workshops and presenting its skills at the International Court Dance Festival “Cracovia Danza” in Krakow and several times at the “Pawana” Court Dance Festival in Wrocław, the Summer Early Music Methodology Courses in Warsaw, the Baroque Academy in Krakow, National Summer Early Music Workshops in Kalisz.
Dancers from the group have been cooperating with professional dancers and musicians in the implementation of artistic projects for several years. It was invited to joint artistic activities by e.g. Court Ballet “Cracovia Danza” from Krakow, Ensemble of Early Instruments of the Warsaw Music Society “Ars Nova” from Warsaw, “Pro Anima” Foundation from Białystok.
Programs developed by the group:
At the Renaissance Court (1999), A Pastoral by Schiller (2000), Take a Moment (2001), On Days Full of Sun (2004), Bakałarz (2005), Spring Walk (2006), At the Royal Court (2007), At Mrs. Branicka’s (2008), A Little Princess (2009), A Tale of Princesses (2011), In a Toy Store (2013), A Dance Lesson (2014), A Few Words About Dance, or How People Danced Ages Ago (2015), Court Games Ages Ago (2015) ), At the Royal Court (2016), The Four Seasons (2016).
DVDs released by the band:
At the Royal Court (2007), At Mrs Branicka’s (2010), A Tale of Princesses (2012), In a Toy Store (2014).