Zabrze Philharmonic

The Zabrze Philharmonic is a municipal cultural institution founded in 1950 as the Miners' Philharmonic of the Miners' Trade Union. Since 2010 it has been housed in the historic building of the former Donnersmarck Library in the Park Hutniczy in Zabrze.

From miners' philharmonic to municipal philharmonic

The original aim of the institution was to popularise music among the working-class community. From the start it also ran activities for children and young people. Its repertoire evolved from operettas and operas to typical philharmonic concerts, and in the 1980s the ensemble was given the name of State Philharmonic.

The institution's website lists symphonic concerts, educational concerts for children and young people, vocal music, film music concerts and jazz concerts. The conductor Grzegorz Fitelberg and the soloists Wiesław Ochman, Krystian Zimerman and Halina Czerny-Stefańska, among others, have appeared on the Zabrze stage. The orchestra travels to festivals in Poland and abroad, has released two CDs and has recorded performances for television.

The building of the former library

The building dates from 1911. The founder of the library was the Zabrze philanthropist Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck. The building stands in the Park Hutniczy at number 7.

In Zabrze you can also visit other sites connected with the history of industry, for example the Guido Mine.

Practical information

• Address: Park Hutniczy 7, 41-800 Zabrze.
• The concert programme, information on tickets and box office hours can be found on the website filharmonia.zabrze.pl. Check them before your visit.