After the voice. The story of Marcella Sembrich. - Instytut Pileckiego

Lecture will take place as part of the event series accompanying our exhibition "Doppelt Frei"

„After the voice. The story of Marcella Sembrich.“

Lecture by Radka Franczak

26.09, 18.00 | Pariser Platz 4A, 10117 Berlin | Registration: https://forms.gle/ScEYSmHhijEYuY7L6

Marcella Sembrich, a Polish soprano who opened the Metropolitan Opera with her aria, founded an innovative singing school, and was the first dean of the vocal faculty for women at the Julliard School, died a millionaire, philanthropist, and beloved artist. Johann Strauss said of her "the greatest voice of our time." 

Radka Franczak, a Polish writer and director, will talk about her search for traces of this prominent artist, and her great-great -aunt erased from the memory of the family. About her attempt to answer the question "Why was she forgotten?".

Radka Franczak writer, film director and photographer. Her debut novel "Heart" Maginesy Publishing House, reached the finals of the Gryfia and Nike awards, the most important Polish literary prize.  In 2024, her second novel "The hour of the whale" will be published by Cyranka Publishing House. Radka's documentaries "Stepan" and "Where is Sonia?" have been screened and awarded at international festivals.

Since 2017, Radka has been working on the story of Marcella Sembrich. Based on the collected materials, she is writing a literary essay " A voice of one's own " and making a documentary film "After the voice. The story of Marcella Sembrich". Both forms tell the story of the search for traces of the forgotten extraordinary aunt and artist.