Music brings Eva Maria from ‘darkness’ to light

Story of love

TBy Cezary Owerkowicz

he proverb says ‘Love is blind’, which literally means it does see anything when the light of love dazzles. Maybe a better title for this article will be just ‘Love Story’; well you can judge it for yourself.

I had already written about a young girl who was the finalist at the popular TV show ‘Got Talent’. When she stepped onto the stage and dazzled the audience, she received a standing ovation, but nobody knew the secret of her appearance or rather realized what her secret weapon was. She was blind and as years passed by she went on to become more glamorous, settled in the United States and came to be known as the ‘Boticelli in skirt’. Her life has something from the love story. Even the harsh critics wrote: ‘She brings tears to my eyes.’

‘Everything happens for a reason’, she says. Some time ago she launched her song composed for her by the well-known author of ‘The Prayer for Faith in Yourself’. ‘Give me, Oh Lord, faith in myself, and give me the faith in this world, which will not shut on me, not to run for nothing into darkness’. Her story is impressive, even tearful just like many love stories are. And here I take the opportunity to bring her story to you, it’s time to follow, isn’t it?

Owerkowicz

Success

Eva Maria Lewandowska was born in Bydgoszcz, on April 1, 1983 and it was not the April Fool day joke. Even as a little girl she liked to sing and dance. She took the first steps on the stage when she was seven in the children’s band ‘Three for Three’ (proverb ‘Talk Nonsense’). Their success was recorded on video tape under the title ‘School Affair’. The happiest person was her brother Raphael, six years older to her because he was rest assured that it would be the end of her ‘her endless singing in front of the mirror with a deodorant in hand resembling a microphone’.

When she was eight she began dreaming about a professional singer. She was qualified to take part in a TV mini-show where she sang with her colleagues Jarek Bonnie Taylor and Shakin Steven — a rendition of ‘A Rockin Good Way’. It was her first great adventure. Children have many dreams. Beside the dream of singing ‘I was dreaming to be a sportswoman. My passions were athletics and hockey. Unfortunately when I was nine, medicine doctors said that I have to invent a different passion for myself’, she says.

The happy childhood came to a sudden, abrupt end. The ophthalmologists’ diagnosis was terrible: totally hopeless genetic Stadgarst disease, resulting in the progressive loss of eyesight.

Unfortunately, the 20th century medicine didn’t have the cure for this disease. It forced Eva to leave school, girlfriends, and school theatre performances and enter a special ‘School for the Blind Children and Youth and the Visually Impaired’. Accompanied by a new ‘companion’ — a disease you cannot fight — Eva decided ‘to make her a friend’. Unparalleled love from parents helped her every day to cope up with her new life. Their wisdom turned natural question ‘why it happened to me?’ into ‘I am different, it means — unique. God is testing everyone with putting burdens on their shoulders — burdens as much as a human can carry.’

Vocal

‘Daddy suggested that I should sing. During my successful performance at the Festival of Impaired Children in Ciechocinek (a lovely Polish resort with salt springs) I was told that I have to study vocal. After some time, my teachers found that I have a unique voice — soprano ‘lirico spinto’. Her beloved dad passed away when she was just 14. It was a difficult time for Eva but she was doubly supported by mom and brother Raphael.

Following years were a busy time for the girl who in spite of her limits studied at two schools — a liberal education Lycee and professional music school. Eva has a soul of a warrior and overcame even the greatest obstacles that appeared in her way.

When she applied to Music Academy in Katowice nobody from the jury knew that the pretending applicant is blind a person. Before the exam she visited the lovely octagonal concert hall and planned and checked directions and the number of steps. What a surprise was after the successful results! However for the lectures she was accompanied by her bellowed guide, dog Clement, enormously quiet, patient and the musical Black Labrador. He was called by colleagues from the Academy a ‘brunet’ — the real best friend — because of the color of his hair. Her Professor of Philosophy even awarded him with a certificate that he attended the full course of the subject!

Thanks to her mom and her friend, who prepared a clever plot, Eva entered the most popular TV show, ‘Got Talent’. Her mother had secretly submitted her candidacy for the program but the friend brought her for the rehearsals. When they reached the studio they told her that she will sing in front of the jury. There was no choice and Eva agreed: ‘When I am here why not?’ She was dazzling, the audience was happy and gave her the standing ovation but the verdict of the jury was in her favor — she reached the final.

‘Certainly I was a beneficiary of TV performances however it was also a ‘school of life’. I faced wonderful and awful reaction: except for the fans also the Internet haters. Some people were sure that I earned millions and a lot of proposals. Of course I became popular, was invited for some concerts but the popularity has ‘a butterfly life’ — short and unstable. But I decided to go forward, to check myself in different places on the earth’.

Protect

‘I thought that I will go to the States and improve my English. Always when I met well-known vocalists it was irritating that I could not talk with them. I said good-bye to my mom and brother. ‘Bold’ (my brother is bold like actor Yul Brynner) was always with me to protect me. That time I moved only with my dog, Clement. He is well trained to guide blind people. Today I think as many people were thinking at that time: She is stupid, blind, going to the States with a dog! But I was very proud of myself. Why not New York? This idea hit me: If you can come here, you can certainly go everywhere! This inscription is very much alive in Manhattan. I want to proove myself that I can!’

I landed in New York. My new valise continued to make rounds of the conveyor belt until the last passenger left. Some officer helped me to find the way to the main hall. In the hall her professor’s friend had promised to meet me. However he fell ill and sent his friend who held the placard with my full name. A bit curious! If that officer wouldn’t help me I wouldn’t know about it.

Stanley helped me reach the school where I had a room to sleep and do shopping. He brought me six sausages. Happily I took some Knorr Soup and I survived a few days sharing sausages with Clement. She slept few nights on folding bed and Clement under the piano. Finally there appeared one lady who for me was like my aunt and then many good people followed ...’

‘In the city it is best to move around at night when there are not so many people. My mom was sending me instructions about the roads to subway stations via the Internet. Steadily I got the wings. Always I liked to touch human hearts by music and I believed in it. I worked with the Professor, giving singing lessons and more and more — concerts. Clement became old and fell ill. He came back to Poland and stayed with my mom. Even she moved to the ground floor because he was not able to climb the stairs.

Eva started to recognize and to love New York, all that jazz of its streets. During one of the social meetings she met Dareck (Darius). In the beginning he told his colleague ‘I know this girl from music school but she disagrees; when I wave out to her she never answers ...’ When they met personally he fell in love and fell on his knees when he introduced himself ... successfully. Two years ago they got married and the next year she gave birth to their son, Victor.

The husband is a text-songwriter and their CD is edited and launched ... The family picture reads: They are happy. Soon they will sit around the Christmas tree and sing the songs ... Never more there is need ‘to run for nothing into the darkness ...’

This is a possibility in life, because in a movie the ending would be sweet, tearful but happy.

I’d like to bring this story to you before the Christmas Eve. Eva has just edited a special CD ‘They go Christmas’ — I would be delighted to offer it to you with my best wishes.

Editor’s Note: Cezary Owerkowicz is the chairman of the Kuwait Chamber of Philharmonia and talented pianist. He regularly organises concerts by well-known musicians for the benefit of music lovers and to widen the knowledge of music in Kuwait. His email address is: cowerkowicz @yahoo.com and cowerkowicz@hotmail.com