Between silence and applause

Between Silence and Applause: Once Upon a Time in the Theater

is a performance-concert woven from memory, music and stage experience. It's a story about growing up in the profession — about choices, delights and moments of doubt that shape the musical artist.

The starting point is the jubilee of the 30th anniversary of the artistic work of Damian Aleksander — an actor and singer whose career path is intertwined with the history and transformations of contemporary musical theatre in Poland. It is his stage incarnations and musical fascinations that will guide the viewer through the world of the musical, the film song, the classics of the stage, as well as the subtle sounds of a French or Italian song. Well-known works will receive new, often poetic arrangements, set in a personal context — they will become a commentary on the next stages of the artistic path.

The evening has the structure of a concert, but pulsates with theatrical nerve. Next to the stage brilliance, there will be behind-the-scenes life - the process of working on the role, questions about the repertoire, moments of silence that precede applause. It is a look inside a profession that requires not only talent, but also perseverance and a constant willingness to change.

Among the special guests we will see, among others, Edyta Krzemień, Paulina Janczak, Aleksandra Ròżanka, and the narrative frame of the evening will be created by Magda Miśka-Jackowska. The musical heart of the performance will be Krzysztof Herdzin — an outstanding pianist, composer, arranger and conductor, whose sensitivity and artistry will give the orchestra a sound full of elegance and emotional depth.

“Between Silence and Applause” is a meeting with the artist at the moment of summary, but without the tone of finality. It is more like stopping for a moment — to listen to the path he has traveled and the music that continues to lead him further.

Damian Aleksander - Theater, television and dubbing actor, director, academic lecturer, originator and artistic director of the festival “musicus copernicus- FROMBORK FESTIVAL”. He graduated with distinction from the Academy of Music in Poznań at the faculty of vocals and acting. A graduate of the D. Baduszkowa State Vocal and Acting Studio at the Musical Theatre in Gdynia. Finalist of the XIX Review of Acting Song in Wrocław (1998). Finalist of the 2nd edition of Idol (2002). Since 1999 he has been associated with the Roma Music Theatre in Warsaw, where he played leading roles in such musical hits as: “Miss Saigon”, “Grease”, “Five Moe Brothers”, “Cats”, “Les Miserables”, “Wicked” or “Phantom of the Opera” (576 performances), from which the album went triple platinum. The artist cooperates with such institutions as: Podlaska Opera and Philharmonic in Białystok: “Korczak” (Janusz Korczak), “Doctor Żywago” (Patron Komarowski), “Phantom of the Opera” (Upiór-200 performances), “Fiddler on the Roof” (Lejzor Wolf), Musical Theater in Poznań: main roles in “Jekylll” &Hyde”, “Nine” and “The Addams Family”, Syrena Theatre in Warsaw: main roles in “The Addams Family”, “Next to Normal”, “Rock of Ages”, “Matylda”, Opera Nova in Bydgoszcz: “Sunset Boulevard” (Max von.Mayerling), Goat Song Theatre: “Tytus Andronikus” (Saturnius), “Idiota” (Rogozhin), Cracow Opera: “Copernicus” (Łukasz Watzenrode), Polish Theatre in Szczecin: “Cabaret” (Master of Ceremony), “Art Master from the City of Lublin” (Cantor), Musical Theater in Lodz “Dracula” (Reinfild). In 2023, together with the Goat Song Theatre, he performed at the largest and most prestigious theatre festival in the world “Fringe” in Edinburgh (Scotland). He took part in nearly 200 musical concerts performed with the accompaniment of most Polish philharmonic orchestras. He could be seen in domestic TV series such as “Becoming Miss”, “Criminal”, “Hotel 52”, “Klan”, “Colors of Happiness”, “Neighbors”, etc., as well as in the film “Toilet out of Order”. He made the Polish version of the popular science series “Test Case” for Discovery Channel. Propagator of the American method of Aggression Replacement Training (ART) in working with difficult youth. He studied psychotherapy according to the therapeutic method of A. Midell. He was a columnist for the magazines “Live and Travel” and “Boat U Fly?”. The author of “Lapidaries of Travelers” a volume of aphorisms and photos from travels in India and Nepal. Together with Magdalena Miśka-Jackowska on RMF Classic, he co-created the musical-themed program “With a musical on hand”. He performed and directed four productions organized by the OiFP: New Year's Eve Gales and Christmas Concerts of Christmas Carols and Pastorałek “God is Born” (tv direction). He is the originator and co-producer together with the OiFP of the musical show “Tribute to Musical-live - Damian Aleksander and his Guests” (Małgorzata Walewska, Kayah, Joanna Kołaczkowska, Edyta Krzemień, Krzysztof Herdzin), from which the audio recording was released on the album.

Krzysztof Herdzin (1970) - pianist, composer, arranger, conductor, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, professor doctor of musical arts As one of the very few successfully combines activities in the field of classical and jazz music, film, as well as pop. He has more than 200 CDs, including 24 original CDs, he is the holder of 20 Gold and 5 Platinum Discs for the Arranger. He has produced several dozen albums for Polish singers, including: Irena Santor, Maryla Rodowicz, Edyta Geppert, Katarzyna Groniec, Anna Serafińska, Olga Bończyk, Wojciech Gąssowski. He is the author of the orchestration of music by Jan A.P. Kaczmark for the film “Finding Neverland”, which won an Oscar in 2005. He has performed as a jazzman and as a chamber musician in: Mexico, USA, Canada, Australia, India, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Turkey, Israel and almost all European countries.In 2025 he was awarded the Gold Medal “Gloria Artis”, he is a laureate of Fryderyk 2012 (jazz composer/arranger of the year), Program 3 Awards - Mateusze Trójki 2014 (in the full-length category), RMF Classic - Mozarty Awards 2011, two-time “Artist of the Year” Grand Prix Melomani in 2011, 2014, International Jazz Improvisation Competition in Katowice in 1993, President of the City of Bydgoszcz Awards 2005, Gazeta Wyborty Awards “Feliks 2006", eleven times nominated for the Fryderyk Prize, twelve times in the poll of readers of Jazz Forum “Jazz Top” elected arranger of the year. In the “Jazz Top 2025" poll, he won an unprecedented triple victory in the categories: Composer of the Year, Arranger of the Year, Pianist of the Year.4