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Poster for the spectacle: THE HAUNTED MANOR

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THE HAUNTED MANOR

Opera

Composer:

Stanisław Moniuszko

Author of the libretto:

Jan Chęciński

Date of the premiere:

18.10.2014

Duration:

3 h 10 min (2 intermissions)

Producers:

Musical Direction:

Piotr Wajrak

Direction:

Krystyna Janda

Set Design:

Magdalena Maciejewska

Costume Design:

Dorota Roqueplo

Choreography:

Emil Wesołowski

Lighting Effects Direction:

Katarzyna Łuszczyk

Choir Preparation:

Waldemar Sutryk / Rafał Wiecha

Opera in four acts. The performance is in Polish with Polish subtitles.

THE HAUNTED MANOR is not only the most perfect work of Moniuszko from a musical standpoint, but also stands at the forefront of all Polish opera creations of the 19th century. The excellent construction of ensemble scenes, subtle yet colorful instrumentation, remarkable melodic invention, and captivating atmosphere of Polishness are indisputable qualities of this work.

Moniuszko completed his fifth opera shortly after the collapse of the January Uprising, so it's no wonder that it soon gained the reputation of a great patriotic manifestation. Shortly after the premiere, "The Haunted Manor" encountered censorship. The Russian authorities, fearing unrest, removed it from the playbill after three performances. This serves as evidence of how external circumstances can influence the fate of an opera - for although one can discern influences from the masterpieces of Fredro and Mickiewicz in the character portrayals, the whole is nothing more than a joyous, at times mocking, affirmation of provincial Polishness in the spirit of bel canto. Elements of folklore, numerous patriotic themes, and the atmosphere of a nobleman's manor make this work today recognized as the Polish national opera.

WIWAT SEMPER WOLNY STAN… (the motto of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth)... Although these words are spoken by the characters of "The Haunted Manor" in a slightly different context, how fitting they are to our celebration of independence and how important they were throughout Moniuszko's entire oeuvre - a composer who desired not only for his operas to find their way into Polish homes but also for the universal elements within them to be clear and understandable far beyond the country's borders. In more recent times, legendary singer and director Maria Fołtyn spared no effort (with no shortage of spectacular successes) in fulfilling the composer's dreams - she was often referred to in opera circles as the widow of Moniuszko for these reasons.

The year 2019 - the bicentenary of the composer's birth - was declared the Year of Moniuszko!

The inauguration of our Year - on January 9, 2019 - was a solemn performance of "The Haunted Manor," directed by Krystyna Janda, who offered us a new, quite different interpretation of the work; a performance far from excessive "folkiness," aesthetically refined - yet faithful to the patriotic spirit of the composer and at the same time closer to the contemporary audience.

It is worth noting that the Energy of Culture 2014 award for the performance was well-deserved, and the Moniuszko Year began with such a "Haunted Manor."