The Grand Theatre in Łódź is the artistic successor to its distinguished predecessor, the Łódź Opera, whose establishment was the result of the passion and commitment of the Friends of the Opera Association, with key representatives such as musicians Władysław Raczkowski, Tomasz Kiesewetter, and Mieczysław Drobner, along with Sabina Nowicka, the then director of the Łódź Opera Studio.
The premiere of Stanisław Moniuszko's "The Haunted Manor" on October 18, 1954, directed by Jerzy Merunowicz and conducted by Władysław Raczkowski, marked the "firstborn" of this new institution (officially established by the decision of the Presidium of the National Council of the City of Łódź on July 1, 1954) led by Sabina Nowicka – the general director, and Mieczysław Drobner – the artistic director. For over a decade, the Łódź Opera presented its opera and ballet premieres on the stages of the New Theatre and the S. Jaracz Theatre in Łódź. In 1966, it was renamed the Grand Theatre in Łódź and moved to a new location at Dąbrowskiego Square.
The multi-story main building of the Grand Theatre in Łódź, along with the connection at the first-floor level and the technical facilities building, was constructed between 1949 and 1964 according to the architectural design of Witold Korski, Józef Korski (father), and Roman Szymborski. It represents a functionally and stylistically uniform example of classicizing socialist realism architecture from the 1950s. It is a dominant component of the prestigious development of Dąbrowskiego Square and was entered into the Register of Monuments of the Łódź Voivodeship on September 7, 1976, by the decision of the Provincial Conservator of Monuments.
A new chapter in the history of the Łódź opera scene began with a "strong impact": the first management of the Grand Theatre by Stanisław Piotrowski (general director) and Zygmunt Latoszewski (artistic director) presented four impressive productions to the Łódź audience: Stanisław Moniuszko's "Halka" (January 19, 1967), Aleksandr Borodin's "Prince Igor," Stanisław Moniuszko's "The Haunted Manor," and Georges Bizet's "Carmen."
Since 1967, the Grand Theatre has presented over 330 premieres, including classical operas and ballets, musicals, operettas, and compositions by outstanding contemporary Polish composers. World premieres of operas by Romuald Twardowski ("Lord Jim") and Maria Stuart took place here. The theatre also hosted significant productions of works by Krzysztof Penderecki, such as "The Devils of Loudun" and "Ubu Roi."
The success of the theatre would not have been possible without exceptional soloists and ensembles who have been its greatest strength throughout the years. The growing reputation of the Grand Theatre is evident in the guest performances of world-renowned vocalists and invitations to perform at prestigious venues, such as Teatro Vittorio Emanuele and the Opera in Lyon.
Since 1968, the Grand Theatre in Łódź has been the organizer of the international ballet art festival called the Łódź Ballet Meetings. During 25 editions, all major ballet ensembles from around the world, including Maurice Béjart's Ballet of the Twentieth Century, Nederlands Dans Theater, Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, Ballet Rambert, Cullberg Ballet, Batsheva Dance Company, and others, have graced the stages of Łódź.
With the administrative reform of the country starting from January 1, 1991, the Grand Theatre in Łódź became a Cultural Institution of the Łódź Voivodeship Self-Government, ensuring organizational and financial stability for further development. Since 2020, the Grand Theatre in Łódź has been co-managed by the Minister of Culture, National Heritage, and Sport.
In 2012, thanks to funds from the European Fund, the Grand Theatre in Łódź underwent a thorough modernization, the first in over 40 years. Despite the renovations, the opera continued its activities and presented performances at the S. Jaracz Theatre and other venues in Łódź. The first premiere after the renovation was Gaetano Donizetti's "Anna Bolena" on April 6, 2013.
The Grand Theatre in Łódź has received recognition, including two Energia Kultury awards for organizing Placido Domingo's concert in 2009 and the performance of "The Haunted Manor" directed by Krystyna Janda, under the musical direction of Piotr Wajrak, in 2014. The theatre has also won numerous Golden Mask awards, the most prestigious theatrical awards.
In 2019, with funds from EU funds, the Grand Theatre in Łódź became one of the first cultural institutions in Poland to create a Digital Museum. It currently showcases over 12,000 photos, more than 300 posters, and over 800 costumes in 3D. The Digital Museum also includes games and activities related to opera, music, and theatre, catering to all age groups.
To date (2025), the theatre has prepared over 350 opera and ballet premieres. One of the most spectacular was the premiere of Krzysztof Penderecki's opera Paradise Lost in 2023, which was recorded on a DVD, the first such release in our theatre. The next disc that was created, in 2024, is a recording of the performance The Ballet Evening of Polish Composers. The performance consisted of 3 parts. For one of them, the theatre commissioned music created by Adam Wesołowski. Górska odyseja (Mountain Odyssey) because that is the title of this piece was a world premiere, for which the choreography was prepared by Monika Myśliwiec and conducted by the composer himself. The remaining parts are Harnasie by Karol Szymanowski with choreography by Karol Urbański and Kościelec 1909 / N.O.M. by Wojciech Kilar with choreography by Jacek Przybyłowicz. In 2024, for the first time, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of G. Puccini's death, the Lodz Grand Theatre prepared the Puccini Festival, presenting 8 operas by this outstanding composer, including the premiere of the opera La Bohème, specially prepared for this occasion.
Since 2023, our theatre has also placed special emphasis on the development of educational activities. The number of classes and workshops has significantly increased, and the novelty introduced by the theatre is a series of family concerts entitled "Sunday Mornings". This series of concerts and educational performances has met with exceptional interest from our youngest audience and the involvement of artists in preparing proposals for the youngest. As part of expanding the offer for our little ones, the premiere of the opera Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck took place in 2024. This colourful story directed by Natalia Babińska with beautiful costumes by Diana Marszałek won the hearts of young viewers from the very first performance. The result was a performance at the Opera Baltic Festival with this title.
From 2023, we try to open the next artistic seasons together with the residents of Łódź and the region at the Łódź Opera Opener concerts in front of the theatre on Dąbrowski Square. We are very happy that you are with us and we cordially invite you to the next performances.
© Joanna Miklaszewska
© Chwalisław Zieliński
