Seven operas by the master from Salzburg in the capital of Poland – Warsaw Chamber Opera unveils the program of the 34th Mozart Festival
Two premieres, the Mozart Night gala, concerts, performances, and workshops are just some of the events planned for the upcoming 34th edition of the Mozart Festival, which will run for nearly two months – from May 8 through July 6.
The history of the festival, held by the Warsaw Chamber Opera, dates back to 1991. It is not a randomly picked date – the year marked the centenary of the death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The musical genius from Salzburg became the patron of one of the most important annual opera events, not only in Warsaw but also in Poland. Thanks to the participation of a number of famous artists from abroad, the festival has gained international renown.
Unusually, the upcoming edition of the festival will not be inaugurated with the gala concert, but with an opera premiere. The organizers will show ”La Clemenza di Tito,” one of the last operas composed by Mozart. Set in the times of the Roman Empire, the opera has been staged by the Warsaw Chamber Opera twice before. The 1990 production, directed by Ryszard Peryt, marked the Polish premiere of the score. The opera was then revisited in 2018 by director Marek Weiss. The new interpretation of ”La Clemenza di Tito” will be the operatic debut of the renowned musical theater director Anna Sroka-Hryń. For me, ”La Clemenza di Tito” is an interesting starting point for a conversation about what kind of rulers we need to feel good and safe in the world we live in. The central character for me is Sesto, and everything else revolves around this figure, she explained during the festival’s press conference. The musical director will be Benjamin Bayl, co-founder and principal guest conductor of the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra.
Towards the end of the festival, the audience will see another premiere – the long-time director of the Warsaw Chamber Opera Jitka Stokalska will stage “La finta semplice” (“The Fake Innocent”), a three-act comic opera Mozart composed in his teens. The show will open on July 3. The musical side will be handled by Tomasz Pokrzywiński and Bastarda Trio, a successful early music ensemble known for its original interpretations and skillful blending of music from various eras.
The festival program also includes revivals of operas directed by Michał Znaniecki: “Idomeneo, Re di Creta,” “Don Giovanni,” and “The Abduction from the Seraglio.” Aside from the above, the audience will have the chance to see “The Magic Flute,” directed by Giovanni Castellanos, with spectacular stage design by Rafał Olbiński and fairy-tale costumes by Marcin Łobacz. “The Marriage of Figaro,” one of Mozart’s most popular operas, will also be shown – the performance will be directed by Grzegorz Chrapkiewicz.
A number of concert performances have been lined up, including a cello recital by virtuoso Tomasz Strahl – on stage May 18 at the Royal Castle and Mozart’s famous ”Requiem in D minor” – performed three times: at the National Philharmonic (with the premiere of a recording with Dorota Szczepańska, Maya Gour, Benjamin Hulett, and Rafał Siwek under the baton of Adam Banaszak), in the Basilica of the Holy Cross, and in the St John’s Archcathedral. A concert version of Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt’s book ”My Life with Mozart,” featuring soloists Gabriela Legun, Zuzanna Nalewajek, Joanna Motulewicz, Aleksander Kunach, and Artur Janda, rich with arias from “The Marriage of Figaro” and “The Magic Flute,” will certainly attract an audience to the Royal Castle on May 25. Another interesting festival proposition is “Messiah HWV 56” by Georg Friedrich Händel, in Mozart’s arrangement – on stage June 15 at the Royal Castle.
The festival will be rounded off with the Mozart Night Final Gala on June 29 at the Polish Theatre, staged by Tomasz Cyz. Soloists Aleksandra Olczyk, Joanna Kędzior, Aleksandra Lowe, Yujie Zhou, Maya Gour, Stefan Sbonnik, and Hubert Zapór will perform. The MACV Orchestra will be conducted by Adam Banaszak.
The Warsaw Chamber Opera will also participate in the Museum Night on May 17. A number of attractions will be held in front of the theater building at Aleja Solidarności – not Mozart-related – from 12:30 p.m. until midnight.