Wanda - prapremiere

Opera Wanda by Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa based on the lyrics of Wanda. Object in Six Images, a dramatic mystery play by Cyprian Kamil Norwid. The world premiere will take place on 10th September 2021 in the Arcaded Courtyard of the Wawel Royal Castle, thus constituting a part of the celebration of the Cyprian Norwid Year established by the Senate of the Republic of Poland.

Not only will it be the world's second opera (after Antonin Dvořák's Vanda) which was completed and staged as devoted to the legendary Polish ruler, but, most of all, it will be the first opera by Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa, an outstanding conductor and composer.

 

This work is an attempt to synthesise the legendary prehistory of the city of Kraków, the romantic works by Norwid and contemporary compositional thought. The rhythms of Polish national dances, such as kujawiak or krakowiak, clearly audible in the arias, play a special musical role, harmonising with the Old Slavic choral melodic line. The musical narrative of Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa's opera is derived directly from Norwid's text, complementing it to a certain extent.