Karczmarewicz, Barbara (EN)

Karczmarewicz Barbara, *2 December 1910 Warsaw, †21 January 1998 Kraków, Polish dancer and teacher. In 1919–27, she studied with M. Sznarowska, Z. Spałkowska and P. Zajlich at the ballet school in Warsaw and from 1924, she performed in the Warsaw ballet. [She took part, among others, with S. Miszczyk and E. Papliński, in the ballet arrangement opening Act II of King Roger by K. Szymanowski, world premiere in 1926]. In 1927, she was engaged in the ballet of the Teatr Wielki, from 1929 as a soloist; in 1933–39, she was a prima ballerina. The economic crisis of the Teatr Wielki in the 1930s limited the ballet repertoire, so Karczmarewicz often danced solo in operettas. She created many interesting roles, such as Rosetta (Pulcinella, music by G. Pergolesi), Princess (Kleks, music by W. Macura), Katarzyna (On the Billet, music by S. Moniuszko), Ptak (The Firebird, music by I. Strawiński), Swanilda (Coppelia, music by L. Delibes), Lizetta (Przekorna Lizetta, music by P. Hertel), Sulamitka (The Legend of Joseph, music by R. Strauss), Goddess of Mining (Pan Twardowski, music by L. Różycki), The Bride (Harnasie, music by K. Szymanowski). In 1945–47, she worked in Krakow as a teacher and appeared in stage programs. In 1947, she performed in the inaugural ballet performance of the Lower Silesian Opera in Wrocław (From Krakowiak to Wrocław, music by Z. Wierciak). In the 1948/49 season, she was a soloist in the ballet of the Silesian Opera in Bytom, performing solo parts in Pan Twardowski and the role of the Beautiful Girl in the ballet Swantewit (music by P. Perkowski). On 1 September 1949, she was engaged as a prima ballerina at the Poznań Opera Ballet, where she performed until her retirement (1971), performing the following roles: Columbine (Carnival, music by R. Schumann), She-Devil (Night on Łysa Góra, music by M. Mussorgsky), Odette-Odile (Swan Lake, music by P. Tchaikovsky), Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty, music by P. Tchaikovsky), Maria (The Fountain of Bakhchisarai, music by B. Asafyev). In 1954–72, she taught classical dance at the ballet school in Poznań. She was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1953).