Three Premieres, Three Worlds: September in Polish Opera
The 2025/2026 season will kick off in September with three premieres. The first will take place at the Opera Wrocławska, featuring “Straszny dwór” (The Haunted Manor), a composition considered the pinnacle of Polish opera by Stanisław Moniuszko. The performance marks the 80th anniversary of the Wrocław stage. The story of Stefan and Zbigniew returning home from the war to their family estate combines patriotism, noble humor, and a rich tradition – from the welcoming bread and salt to the polonaise and carnival divinations. It is a tale of community, history, and morality, which, after more than 150 years, still manages to move and captivate audiences. This time, the production will transport us to post-war Wrocław, amidst the ruins of the former Festung Breslau, where the city’s new residents begin to rebuild Polish culture and social life. The premiere cast features: Łukasz Motkowicz (Miecznik), Hanna Sosnowska-Bill (Hanna), Aleksandra Opała (Jadwiga), Piotr Buszewski (Stefan), Paweł Horodyski (Zbigniew), and Barbara Bagińska (Cześnikowa). Subsequent performances will feature Mateusz Ługowski, Zuzanna Nalewajek, Adrian Domarecki, Jakub Michalski, Kamila Dutkowska, and Aleksander Zuchowicz. The show premieres on September 12, with additional performances on September 14, 16, and 19-21.
After Wrocław, the next premiere will take place in Warsaw – “Najlepsze miasto świata” (The Best City in the World) at the Polish National Opera. This new opera by Cezary Duchnowski, with a libretto by Beniamin Bukowski, is inspired by Grzegorz Piątek’s book ”Najlepsze miasto świata. Warszawa w odbudowie 1944–1949” (The Best City in the World: Warsaw in Reconstruction 1944–1949). The performance takes us to the heart of post-war Warsaw, telling the story of the people who rebuilt the city from ruins. At the center of the narrative are the intertwined fates of a Polish modernist architect and an American journalist, Anne Louise Strong. Directed by Barbara Wiśniewska, with musical director by Bassem Akiki, the production features Sinfonia Varsovia, the National Opera Choir, and the Artos Children’s Choir. Leading roles will be performed by Joanna Freszel (Journalist) and Agata Zubel (Architect), with Filip Kosior as the Guide. The premiere will be held on September 19, marking the 80th anniversary of the start of Warsaw’s reconstruction, with additional performances on September 20 and 21, and October 18 and 19.
Wyświetl ten post na Instagramie
The third premiere on Poland’s opera map is in Poznań. On September 27, the Grand Theatre will present “Wyrok” (The Sentence) by Zygmunt Noskowski, a forgotten work of Polish Romanticism based on the drama by Ksenia Aurelia Urbańska. Set against the backdrop of the Greek War of Independence, the plot combines a theme of betrayal with broader social changes. In the concert version of the opera, Szymon Mechliński will perform the role of Angelos, Piotr Buszewski will sing Kosta, and the soloists, choir, and orchestra will be conducted by Marta Kluczyńska.
Who? What? Where? When?
“The Haunted Manor” by Stanisław Moniuszko
Premiere: September 12, 2025
Performances: September 14, 16, and 19–21
Venue: Opera Wrocławska
“The Best City in the World”
Premiere: September 19, 2025
Performances: September 20 and 21, October 18 and 19
Venue: Polish National Opera
“The Sentence” by Zygmunt Noskowski
Concert version
Premiere: September 27, 2025
Venue: Grand Theatre in Poznań