Kłopotliwe rozrywki

Overview & Synopsis

The first theme recurring throughout the anthology is the tainting of entertainment by captivity. This captivity is clearly visible in the juxtaposition of the press accounts of the Tsar’s celebrations with diaries. Where officially there is enthusiasm, in reality there is coercion and troops in the bushes. Foreign opera divas bow to the authorities, signing ‘God Save the Tsar’ from the stage. In the periods of national insurrections or open conflict with the occupant, the dances die away, and the ones who do not obey the unwritten ban get their windows smashed. The second theme of the anthology is modernity. It is foreshadowed by an increase in the significance of cities as centres of culture, already visible at the beginning of the nineteenth century: with consumers (perhaps not yet on a mass scale, but already numerous) of attractions offered by entrepreneurs. And, it is strengthened by the fast development of polygraphy, offering various printed material, sheet music, or illustrations. This, in turn, means more interesting papers, serving not only as a source of information, but also of popular entertainment. The press became indispensable for artists, as most of them had to rely only on themselves: patronage was becoming a thing of the past. This is when carnival balls also came into being at railway stations.