Roman Statkowski’s “Philaenis” at the finale of the 20th Festival of Polish Music
Concert performance of Roman Statkowski’s opera “Philaenis” at the Kraków Philharmonic will round off the jubilee edition of the 20th Festival of Polish Music. On stage July 28.
Set in ancient Greece, the plot combines politics with a love story. Soprano Izabela Matuła will sing the title role, joined on stage by bass-baritone Krzysztof Szumański. The production also features: Ilona Krzywicka, Hubert Walawski, Daniel Domarecki, Jakub Szmidt, Mariana Poltorak, Ksenia Łuka and Gabriela Korzystka. The Choir and Orchestra of the Krakow Philharmonic will be conducted by Krzysztof Słowiński, the author of the new instrumentation of the work.
Written to a libretto by Hermann Erler in German, “Philaenis” (1897) is one of two operas composed by Roman Statkowski (1859-1925). The premiere with Polish title “Filenis” and libretto translated by the composer was held in 1904 at the Grand Theater in Warsaw. A year earlier, Statkowski’s score was awarded first prize at the international Charles Manners composers’ competition in England. The work can be placed halfway between the legacy of Władysław Żeleński (Statkowski was his student) and the musical theater of Karol Szymanowski.
Since 2005, the Festival of Polish Music has focused on presenting music from the Middle Ages to the present, placing it in a broader international context. The mission of the summer festival, held annually in Kraków, is to recall the best Polish composers and their works, discover forgotten music and break stereotypes.