Poland may not be the first place you think of for getting your operatic kicks. However, one of opera’s most famous artists–Rafal Olbinski, check out one of his works below (a poster for Pelleas et Melisande)–just happens a native Pole. Eastern Europe is a great place in general to check out opera for a handful of reasons: 1) the performances are usually innovative, 2) the houses attract a variety of big ticket musicians (many of whom, like Anna Netrebko and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, call Eastern Europe home), 3) the houses are historic and sitting in one is like being in a padded jewel-box, and 4) the tickets are far cheaper here than in Western Europe.
Case in point: Warsaw’s Teatr Wielki, which hosts the Opera Narodowa (aka National Opera) as well as Warsaw’s main ballet corps. With Poland still on the Zloty, the highest cap for tickets here is $42 USD, and prices go as low as $8 USD. Additionally, there are 30% discounts available for students and seniors. The house is stunning and the performers superb. Sunday at 6:00 pm is the opening night for one of our personal operatic favourites, Lucia di Lammermoor. You’ll recognize Lucia’s Mad Scene from its use in The Fifth Element, and the famous (or infamous) Sextet from either music class, The Departed, or the Three Stooges. And with the creative cast on the Wielki’s roster including mid-air acrobatics, we have a feeling this will be nice on the eyes as well as on the ears.
This weekend, you’ll also be able to catch the premiere of a more recent opera, Szeligowski’s The Students’ Revolt. The first opera created in Poland after World War II, this piece is based heavily on folk music drama which originated in Russia, while centering around a very Polish story (based on true events). And while we love our Italian opera, being in Eastern Europe seeing an Eastern European opera performed by Eastern Europeans is somewhat akin to seeing the Brits do Shakespeare.
Thanks, cecy_investigacion!
Teatr Wielki/Opera Narodowa
Plac Teatralny 1, Warsaw
692.02.00
http://www.teatrwielki.pl
