The greatest theatre in Poland and one of the biggest in the world. For over 170 years it has been making the history of opera and ballet in Poland. It is located in the heart of Warsaw, and its monumentality can’t be overlooked – the Teatr Wielki – National Opera. The history if the place reaches the 19th century, and specifically the period 1825 – 1833 when the theatre building was erected according to the design of Antonio Corazzi. Since that moment it has been reconstructed many times. During the siege of Warsaw in 1939, it was bombed and nearly completely destroyed. It was reconstructed after the war and opened in 1965, and since that date it has been one of the most impressive and best equipped theatres in Europe.
The greatest scene in Europe is a home to most recognised artists of the music scene, opera and ballet. In 2019 we celebrate the 10th anniversary of starting the Polish National Ballet, which is a continuator of a many-year achievements of the ballet group at the Teatr Wielki and the successor of the great Warsaw ballet tradition, which dates back to the 17th century.
Director of the Teatr Wielki is Waldemar Dąbrowski – former minister of culture, patron of artists, actively involved in culture, co-founder of theatres, orchestras, culture institutions, and also the board member of the Europe Opera. Director of the ballet is Krzysztof Pastor – a choreographer, artists, whose artistic language is recognised among such ballet groups as Het National Ballet, The Washington Ballet, or the Israel Ballet. The artistic director of the National Opera is Mariusz Treliński, who is a famous top opera directors in the world, which was proved in 2018 when he received the Opera Oscar – the International Opera Award. His productions may be seen almost everywhere around the world – he is invited by the most important opera houses to co-operate, moreover, with his staging of Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde he opened the season 2016/17 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The performance will be played there again soon – it is coming back to the Met programme in the season 2018/2019.
The National Opera and the Polish National Ballet co-work with many theatres in the world. Productions of the Teatr Wielki have been staged on nearly every continent, in such places as: the Metropolitan Opera, the Teatro alla Scala, the English National Opera and festivals in Bregenz or Baden-Baden.
The Teatr Wielki – National Opera is not only the seat to opera and ballet. It has been designed as an institution where we can find: the first Museum of Theatre in Poland, the Opera Gallery presenting mostly the works of Polish 20th-century painters or the Opera Academy – a studio educating young singers. Moreover, the National Opera stage is the place of many festivals, entertainment events, but first of all the events of a historic meaning – in 2018 it celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Polish independence restoration.
Every next season is in the life of Theatre a new chapter, written continuously in the course of events and within a social and historical context we are in.
This season 2018/2019, on the two interlinking dates particularly important to Poland, it marks naturally a direction for the programme thinking, creating a unique, interesting to the audience context. The year 2018 – the 100th anniversary of independence restoration – is followed by celebration of the Moniuszko year in 2019 – the 200th birth anniversary of that composer, a distinguished man of opera, music and culture in Poland.
This is the time that is understood at the National Opera above all as a great obligation: a beautiful obligation, because it allows to present achievements of the Theatre, which it is most proud of – art of the best kind, showing important values. It is also a specific accumulation of the last few years, in which the programme included the works of the rich, national heritage, which thrill everyone again and again or the masterpieces discovered anew. The Opera stages, next to Straszny dwór, also Goplana by Władysław Żeleński (awarded with the prestigious International Opera Award) and Eros and Psyche by Ludomir Różycki; there are also staged very popular Cud or Krakowiaki i Górale by Jan Stefani and Wojciech Bogusławski, a production of the Opera Academy, full of youthful energy.
This season will have three extremely important opera premiers originating from the national literature: Król Roger by Karol Szymanowski, Halka (wileńska) by Stanisław Moniuszko and Manru by Ignacy Paderewski, which will open the season. The artistic obligation relates in a particular way to this great personality: an artist, a creator and a statesman, whose role in the history of our country, in regaining of independence, shaping of national border lines and relations with the world empires of that time is still not communicated and honoured dutifully. Therefore, in the nearest months – next to Manru, the only Polish opera, which was staged at the Met – by Paderewski, will be presented at the theatre in an important manner. We would like to invite to a symphonic concert Prelude, a premiere before the premiere of Manru, to the concert on the 11th November, and also to an exhibition opening the season at the Opera Gallery, dedicated to two important titles of the world literature: Tosca y Giacomo Puccini (which will be one of three other titles by this composer in the programme) and the Polish premiere of Billy Budd by Benjamin Britten.
The Polish National Ballet, after a well-received Dama kameliowa to the Frederic Chopin music, will present again the works of the genial composer, and will propose this time a performance Nasz Chopin (Notre Chopin) with both piano concerts; on the Small Stage there will be a preview under a meaningful title Fredriana – the play matches well the anniversary season, created based on texts written by a virtuoso of the Polish comedy drama, the count Aleksander Fredro and music by Stanisław Moniuszko.
Since the beginning of 2019, the figure if Stanisław Moniuszko in a natural way will take the central position in the life of the National Opera. Next to plays, symphonic concerts and cameral concerts ( including the gala opening the Moniuszko Year on the 5th of January and several recitals in the Redutowy Rooms under the name of Frederic Chopin), and also in May the anniversary 10th International Vocal Concert under the name of Stanisław Moniuszko, which realistically matches the list of the most important events of that kind in the world.
