The ever-popular operetta “The Csárdás Princess” makes a stylish comeback at the Mazovian Musical Theatre
“The Csárdás Princess” is one of the most famous and frequently performed operettas, composed by the Hungarian composer Emmerich Kálmán. Since its premiere in 1915, this story of love across social divides has delighted fans of the genre around the world. Due to its popularity, “The Csárdás Princess” is also regularly revisited by many musical theatres across Poland, including Opera Nova in Bydgoszcz, the Lublin Opera, the Musical Theatre in Łódź, the Baltic Opera in Gdańsk, and the Mazovian Musical Theatre named after Jan Kiepura.
Kálmán composed the score for “The Csárdás Princess” on the eve of World War I, based on a libretto by Leo Stein and Béla Jenbach. The plot, naturally with a happy ending, revolves around the love of Edwin, a young Austrian aristocrat, for Silva — a cabaret chanteuse. The story begins in Budapest and later moves to Vienna, where the two worlds collide. The operetta is renowned for many melodies that have become classics of the genre, including “Though There Are Many Girls in the World,” “Artists, Artists, Artists from the Variety Show,” “What’s Happening, I’m Going Crazy,” and “Silva’s Csárdás.”
On May 31, audiences at the Mazovian Musical Theatre will be able to see a new version of the show that originally premiered in 2017. Director Michał Znaniecki, Italian set designer Luigi Scoglio, and costume designer Magdalena Dąbrowska will transport viewers into the elegant salons and colorful cabarets of the Belle Époque era. Two casts will alternate in the lead roles: Iwona Socha and Bogumiła Dziel-Wawrowska as Silva Varescu, and Emil Ławecki and Adam Sobierajski as Edwin. The orchestra and vocal ensemble of the Mazovian Musical Theatre will be conducted by Rafał Kłoczko. Additional dates are set for June 1 to 8, 2025.