“Carmen” directed by Andrzej Chyra returns to the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera

Fate, against which the protagonists of the drama seem powerless, is opposed by the title character. The tragic figure of Carmen is a symbol of liberating femininity, brave and proud, which has always fascinated writers, filmmakers and playwrights. It is the embodiment of sensuality and mystery, and at the same time unpredictability and temperament. In this part (mezzo-soprano) we will hear two exceptional soloists: Monika Ledzion-Porczyńska and Gosha Kowalinska.

Spring at the Grand Theater-National Opera. “Carmen” is a guarantee of extraordinary experiences

Today, the colorful and temperamental “Carmen” captivates listeners with its Spanish flavor, and the iconic overture and “Habanera” have become the canon of the most frequently performed opera pieces in the world. Older viewers of the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera will certainly remember the wonderful, classic staging of Georges Bizet’s most famous opera, directed by Lech Majewski, in the monumental stage design of Janusz Kapusta with costumes designed by Hanna Bakuła.

Twenty-three years after its premiere, Andrzej Chyra, a popular actor and director, took up the production of “Carmen” on the same stage. This time, however, the viewers of the Warsaw opera scene had the opportunity to see the masterpiece of world music literature in a completely new version, far from the classic approach. He invited the playwright Ma³gorzata Sikorska-Miszczuk to collaborate on this challenge, with whom he worked on an outstanding Polish opera of the 21st century – The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann with music by Paweł Mykietyn. The performance presented during the Malta Festival Poznań turned out to be a great success.

In order to shed a new light on the well-known spectacle, the tandem Chyra-Miszczuk introduces the enigmatic figure of a boy and the Devil to the opera, who scares the little hero less and less as the acts pass. It probably symbolizes the aforementioned fate. In opposition to the demon-bull, the titular heroine’s attribute are wings growing from her shoulders.

Georges Bizet wrote “Carmen” on commission from the director of the Paris Opéra-Comique Camille du Locle. The score was written at the turn of 1874 and 1875. The libretto, based on the novel by Prosper Mérimée, was created by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. Since then, “Carmen” has fascinated the creators; her name functions in the common consciousness, indispensably associated with something that cannot be ignored.

Agnieszka Supińska wrote for the e-teatr.pl portal that “Carmen”, directed by Andrzej Chyra, is “a departure from the traditional interpretation, based on the analysis of human desire and complicated male-female relationships”. According to the reviewer, “the producers raised the performance to a higher level, picking out from the libretto the stories of people who, filled with ideas of an ideal life, collide with reality on various levels.”

The actors on stage will be accompanied by the Choir and Orchestra of the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera and the “Artos” children’s choir. Wladyslaw Skoraczewski.

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