Sopot Festival

Sopot Festival (formerly Międzynarodowy Festiwal Piosenki (dt. International Music Festival ), during the period 1977-1980 Międzynarodowy Festiwal Interwizji , since the mid-1990s, then Sopot Festival) is an international music festival , held annually in Polish Sopot in the Forest Opera takes place. In addition to the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole , it is the largest festival of its kind.

history

The Sopot Forest Opera

→ Main article : Opera Leśna

There was already a Sopot Festival (German: Sopot Festival) at the beginning of the 20th century, but with a different orientation than at present. It was launched in 1909 and continued until 1944. From 1922 onwards, Richard Wagner's operas in particular were performed. They took place in an open-air theater in the middle of the forest, hence the name "Forest Opera" for this festival. Because of their quality and uniqueness, the performances soon achieved international fame. Visitors also praised the quality of the square, which was perceived as magical.

Międzynarodowy Festiwal Piosenki

Entrance forest opera Sopot

After the war, Władysław Szpilman founded the then Międzynarodowy Festiwal Piosenki in 1961 . The first festival took place from October 25-27, 1963.

1979 Boney M appeared with the song Rasputin . The television only aired the show a day later and cut out this controversial song.

International participants

• 1962 Dinah Kaye
• 1964 Pauline Julien
• 1967 Caterina Valente
• 1968 Zsuzsa Koncz
• 1970 Christie
• 1976 Alla Pugacheva
• 1977 Sofia Rotaru
• 1979 Alla Pugatschowa , Demis Roussos , Boney M.
• 1980 Alla Pugacheva
• 1984 Eva Maria Pieckert , Charles Aznavour
• 1985 Shirley Bassey
• 1986 Bonnie Tyler
• 1987 Johnny Cash
• 1988 Kim Wilde
• 1989 Savage , Blue System , CC Catch
• 1990 Ronnie Hawkins , Duo Datz , Erasure , Viktor Lazlo , Curiosity Killed the Cat
• 1991 Dannii Minogue , Johnny Hates Jazz , Technotronic , Deacon Blue , Alison Moyet , Aztec Camera , OMD , Bros , Jimmy Somerville
• 1992 Kim Wilde , Bobby Kimball , Sonia , Marillion , Simone Angel
• 1993 Boney M. , La Toya Jackson , Marc Almond , Helena Vondráčková , Jiří Korn
• 1995 Chuck Berry , Vanessa-Mae , Annie Lennox
• 1996 The Kelly Family , Vaya Con Dios , Deep Forest , La Bouche
• 1997 Khadja Nin , Alexia , Secret Garden , Boyz II Men
• 1998 The Corrs , Chris Rea , Tanita Tikaram , Ace of Base , Era
• 1999 Lionel Richie , Whitney Houston
• 2000 Bryan Adams
• 2001 Goran Bregović , Lou Bega , UB40
• 2002 Zucchero , Garou
• 2003 Ricky Martin
• 2004 In-Grid , Kate Ryan , Patricia Kaas
• 2005 Patrizio Buanne , Lemar , Gordon Haskell , Scorpions , Simply Red , Blondie , Bonnie Tyler
• 2006 Katie Melua , Elton John , Karel Gott , Helena Vondráčková , Demis Roussos , Drupi
• 2007 Norah Jones , Mattafix , Village People , Sister Sledge , Kool & The Gang , Hot Chocolate , Gloria Gaynor
• 2008 Thomas Anders , Sandra , Samantha Fox , Kim Wilde , Shakin 'Stevens , Sabrina , Limahl and Kajagoogoo

Festival winner

• 1961 - Switzerland - Jo Rolland - Nous deux 
• 1962 - Greece - Jeanne Yovanna - Ti krima 
• 1963 - Soviet Union - Tamara Miansarowa - Пусть всегда будет солнце ( Zawsze niech będzie słońce ) / 1963 - France - Simone Langlois - Toi et ton sourire  
• 1964 - Greece - Nadia Constantopoulou - Je te remercie mon coeur 
• 1965 - Canada - Monique Leyrac - Mon pays 
• 1966 - United States - Lana Cantrell - I'm All Smiles 
• 1967 - Poland - Dana Lerska - Po prostu jestem 
• 1968 - Spain - Peret - Una Lagrima 
• 1969 - Switzerland - Henri Dès - Maria Consuella 
• 1970 - Canada - Robert Charlebois - Ordinaire 
• 1971 - United Kingdom - Samantha Jones - He Moves Me 
• 1972 - Poland - Andrzej Dąbrowski - Do zakochania every krok (ex-aequo) 
• 1972 - Soviet Union - Lev Leschchenko - Я не был с ним знаком ( I don't know him ) (ex-aequo) 
• 1973 - Soviet Union - Sofija Rotaru - Водограй ( Wodograj ), United Kingdom - Tony Craig - Can You Feel It and I Think of You Baby  
• 1974 - Finland - Marion Rung (complete works) 
• 1975 - United Kingdom - Glen Weston (Complete Works) 
• 1976 - Soviet Union - Irina Ponarowskaja (complete works) 
• 1977 - Czechoslovakia - Helena Vondráčková - Malovaný džbánku 
• 1978 - Soviet Union - Alla Pugacheva - Всё могут короли (Kings are allowed anything) 
• 1979 - Poland - Czesław Niemen - Nim przyjdzie wiosna 
• 1980 - Finland - Marion Rung - Where Is the Love 
• 1981–1983 - The festival did not take place
• 1984 - Poland - Krystyna Giżowska - Blue Box 
• 1985 - Sweden - Herrey’s - Summer Party 
• 1986 - United States - Mary Getz - Hero of My Heart 
• 1987 - BR Germany - Double Take - Rockola 
• 1988 - United States - Kenny James - The Magic In You 
• 1989 - Norway - Dance With The Strangers (complete works) 
• 1990 - Poland - Lora Szafran - Zły chłopak and Trust Me At Once 
• 1991 - Latvia - New Moon (complete works) 
• 1992 - Austria - Marc Andrews (complete works) 
• 1993 - Lithuania - Arina - Rain Is Coming Down 
• 1994 - Poland - Varius Manx - Zanim zrozumiesz 
• 1995 - Poland - Kasia Kowalska - Jak rzecz and A to co mam 
• 1996 - No winners were chosen at this festival
• 1997 - Netherlands - Total Touch - Somebody Else's Lover 
• 1998 - Italy - Alex Baroni - Male che fa male 
• 1999–2004 - No winners were chosen at this festival
• 2005 - Poland - Andrzej Piaseczny - Z głębi duszy 
• 2006 - United Kingdom - Mattafix - Big city life 
• 2007 - Poland - Feel - A gdy jest już ciemno 
• 2008 - Sweden - Oh Laura - Release Me 
• 2009 - Australia - Gabriella Cilmi - Sweet About Me 
• 2010/2011 - The festival did not take place due to construction work in the Opera Leśna
• 2012 - Sweden - Eric Saade - Hotter Than Fire 
• 2013 - France - Imany - You Will Never Know 
• 2014 - Poland - Ewa Farna - Cicho 
• 2015–2017 - No winners were chosen at this festival
• 2018 - Russia - Mihail Sandu - Who You Are 
• 2019 - Sweden - Frans - If I Were Sorry 

Finalists Sopot Festival 2005

Lp	country	tape	song
01	Poland	Łzy	Przepraszam Cię
02	Poland	Krzysztof Kiljański	I don't know where life's going
03	Poland	Ewelina Flinta	Nieskończona historia
04	Poland	Virgin	Znak pokoju
05	Poland	Andrzej Piaseczny	Z głębi duszy
06	Poland	Mandaryna	Ev'ry Night

Finalists Sopot Festival 2006

Lp	country	tape	song
01	Sweden / Iran	Arash	Arash
02	Latvia	Brainstorm	Thunder without Rain
03	Sweden	Andreas Johnson	Show me
04	United Kingdom	Mattafix	Big City Life
05	Estonia	Vanilla ninja	Danger zone
06	Poland	Stachursky	Z każdym twym oddechem

Polish finalists:

• Gosia Andrzejewicz - Pozwól żyć
• The Jet Set - Just Call Me
• Mezo i Miecz Szcześniak - Wstawaj
• Sumptuastic - Za każdy uśmiech twój
• Stachursky - Z każdym twym oddechem

Finalists Sopot Festival 2007

Lp	country	tape	song
01	Sweden	September	Cry for you
02	France	Thierry Amiel	Coeur Sacré
03	Germany	Monrose	Shame
04	United States	The Cloud Room	Hey now, now
05	France	Emmanuel Moire	Ca me fait du bien
06	United Kingdom	Sophie Ellis Bextor	Me and My Imagination
07	Poland	Feel	A gdy jest już ciemno

Feel - Grand Prize Winner and Audience Winner

Polish finalists:

• Feel - A gdy jest już ciemno
• Sumptuastic - Opuszczony
• Szymon Wydra & Carpe Diem - Gdzie jesteś dziś
• Małgorzata Ostrowska - Słowa
• Łukasz Zagrobelny - Nieprawda

Web links

Commons : Forest Opera  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• official website (not updated since 2013, domain for sale) ( Memento from February 19, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
• Sopot Forest Opera ( Memento from February 7, 2012 in the Internet Archive )