World’s only sailing choir to perform at Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre

Published Monday, 16th June 2025

A unique musical event is set to take place in Hartlepool later this month as the world’s only sailing choir arrives in town for a special one-night performance.

The Zawisza Czarny Male Voice Shanty Choir, travelling all the way from Gdynia in Poland, will dock at Hartlepool Marina on Sunday 30 June before taking to the stage at the Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre that evening. This is a free event to attend but tickets must be booked in advance of the performance. Doors will open at 6.15pm.

Renowned for their stirring renditions of traditional sea shanties and maritime folk songs, Zawisza Czarny are the only choir in the world to perform while sailing, preserving the rich heritage of maritime music as it was once sung aboard working ships.

Their visit to Hartlepool is part of a commemorative tour honouring the MS Pilsudski, a Polish troop carrier sunk by German forces during the Second World War just off the Hartlepool coast. The ship’s commanding officer, Captain Memert Stankiewicz, who tragically lost his life in the incident, is buried in West View Cemetery in Hartlepool. The Zawisza Czarny Choir will pay their respects at a private ceremony at the grave of Captain Stankiewicz during their visit.

The choir’s repertoire includes classical shanties, ceremonial songs, and below-deck work songs, performed in their original languages and with the authenticity of sailors’ voices from a bygone era.

Councillor Pamela Hargreaves, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Chair of Economic Growth and Regeneration Committee, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming the Zawisza Czarny Choir to Hartlepool.

“It is brilliant to see an international choir perform on stage at our Theatre and what is even better is that this is a free event to attend so book your tickets quickly to secure your seat for this prestigious show.”

Joining them on the night will be Infant Hercules, Teesside’s own male voice choir, bringing together singers from across the five boroughs.

Free tickets for the event can be booked online at: www.culturehartlepool.com or by calling the Box Office on 01429 890000 (1pm-4pm, Tuesday – Saturday).