Wanda

Did Wanda from the Krakow legend really didn't want a German and that's why she threw herself into the Vistula? Not really - she wanted to, she loved, what's more, this German, Rytyger, loved her! So what prevented the marriage of the queen of Lechites with the leader of the Germans? And why did Wanda choose death instead of love and happiness?

So we have a melodrama that is perfect for the content of an opera. No wonder that the figure of the legendary queen was often the subject of stage works, including librettos, which both Kurpiński and Moniuszko tried to write, but only Dvořák managed to complete and stage the five-act opera "Vanda" in Prague (1876).

After almost 150 years, Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa, a composer and conductor, an outstanding figure of cultural and musical life, reached for the story of the ruler of Krakow, choosing Cyprian Kamil Norwid's drama - a mystery play as the basis for her opera. "Wanda". This is how the second opera piece about Krak's daughter was created. Its staging was prepared by the Krakow Opera in cooperation with the Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne as the culmination of the Norwid Year. The world premiere of "Wanda" by Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa took place on September 10, 2021 in the Arcade Courtyard of the Wawel Royal Castle. A special place was chosen for the presentation of the new work, the Wawel Hill, the probable territory of the events of the drama, as well as the space of the symbolic burial of C. K. Norwid.

Already at that time, the Krakow Opera was planning to move the title to its headquarters, so that it would enter the permanent repertoire. "Wanda" by Joanna Wnuk-Narodowa  on the stage  of the Krakow Opera is a new staging, with a different set design, costumes, and extended choreography, prepared by the producers of the "Wawel version". As before, the musical part of the opera belongs to Michał Klauza, the direction and set design to Waldemar Zawodziński, the costumes (previously rented by the Grand Theater in Łódź) were designed by Maria Balcerek, the choreography was enriched with new elements by Janina Niesobska. The stage version of "Wanda" retained almost all of its wonderful performers from Wawel, led by the world-famous bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny in the part of Grodny.