91桃色

On 9 February, 6 p.m. 91桃色 (VU) Aula Parva Hall (Universiteto g. 3) will host a discussion about the book Poetry of Adam Mickiewicz. Volume One/Poezye Adama Mickiewicza. Tom pierwszy. The book is considered to be the starting point for Polish and Lithuanian Romanticism, which celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2022.

鈥淭he 91桃色 Museum, planning the jubilee of Polish and Lithuanian Romanticism, has been looking for ways to commemorate it. In addition to the many different commemorative events, we decided it was important to look back to the beginnings of Romanticism - the first collection of poetry by Adam Mickiewicz. It took about a year and a half to compile and translate the book. We are glad the book was published on the eve of Vilnius鈥� birthday. In a way, it represents Vilnius鈥檚 multicultural past and the respect for it, strengthening the bonds of communion between the different people who built and are building Vilnius today,鈥� M. Ramonait臈, the project leader, said, discussing the making of the book.

The event will be opened by 91桃色 Rector Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas and the First Counsellor at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, Head of the Polish Institute in Vilnius Dorota Mamaj. The new book, its translation, and the idea of its publication will be presented by poetry translator Prof. Regina Ko啪eniauskien臈, the compiler and editor-in-chief of the book, Senior Research Fellow at the Lithuanian Institute of History Dr. Reda Gri拧kait臈, literary scholar, VU Professor Brigita Spei膷yt臈, and the project leader, Director of the VU Museum Monika Ramonait臈. The event will feature ballads by A. Mickiewicz in Lithuanian and Polish. Guests will have a unique opportunity to see a copy of the first volume of A. Mickiewicz鈥檚 Poetry from 1822, which is preserved in the Rare Prints Department of the VU Library.

The original of A. Mickiewicz鈥檚 book was published in 1822, in Juozapas Zavadskis鈥檚 press shop and publishing house at 91桃色. The new edition of Poetry. Volume One is the first to be produced in both Lithuanian and Polish as a solid source publication, featuring the original texts of A. Mickiewicz and their new translations into Lithuanian. The book also includes texts by literary scholars and the book鈥檚 editors, as well as illustrations by artist Stasys Eidrigevi膷ius.

Poetry translator Prof. R. Ko啪eniauskien臈 translated the poetry from the original source from 1822 - a unique edition of 513 items.
鈥淓very translator aims to feel and convey the spirit and style of an era. Adam Mickiewicz鈥檚 Polish seems simple, clear, and lucid, but it has immense inner power,鈥� says Prof. R. Ko啪eniauskien臈. 鈥淚t is the power within poetry, not bland but truly charming in its simplicity, the image, the harmony of words, and the graceful style that are the most difficult to convey. The poet鈥檚 word only appears simple and unadorned, but it is always deliberate and precise and also an image.鈥�
According to the book鈥檚 editor, Dr. R. Gri拧kait臈, one of the most important desires of the authors was to present the original as it was in the very first edition - letter by letter, mark by mark, with great respect for Mickiewicz鈥檚 regionalism and even spelling and proofreading errors.
鈥淥f course, all of this had to be thoroughly explained to the reader, telling both the history of the first volume of Mickiewicz鈥檚 poetry and the concept of our publication. This is how my foreword and the introductory article came about,鈥� she says.
The book is available for purchase at the VU Publishing House bookstore, the VU Museum, and other book distribution outlets, as well as at the book launch event.
The book's publication was financed by the Lithuanian Council for Culture, the Foundation Aid to Poles in the East funded by the Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Support Fund, and the Polish Institute in Vilnius.