Today, Thursday and Saturday 11 November, the Teatro Real in Madrid presents the romantic opera Halka, composed by Stanisław Moniuszko (1819-1872), which was presented yesterday by Magdalena Majda, Director of the Instituto Polaco de Cultura, and Ignacio García-Belenguer and Joan Matabosch, General and Artistic Directors of the Teatro Real, respectively.
With the presence of tenor Piotr Beczała (Jontek), soprano Corinne Winters (Halka), bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny (Janusz) and Łukasz Borowicz (musical director) an opera was presented that possesses a sublime orchestration, with beautiful melodies rooted in traditional music, lyrical and emotional arias and a skilful use of the chorus, present as an additional protagonist, with successful scenes highlighting the essence of the Polish spirit. Its agile dramatic pulse, with a clear Italian influence, achieves a fluid and emotive narrative in the purest Romantic style.
The composer of Halka, Stanisław Moniuszko (known as the Polish Verdi), is considered to be the creator of Polish national opera, and in this title he deployed some of the most moving and romantic music in the history of the European country.
Coinciding with this premiere, and with the events commemorating Poland’s National Independence Day (11 November), the Theatre has programmed two concerts to be held on 22 November, in the Muses Hall of the Museo del Prado (9 p.m.), and on the 23rd, in the Orchestra Hall of the Teatro Real (8 p.m.), whose selected works are by three great Polish composers: Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937), Krysztof Penderecki (1933-2020) and Witold Lutolawski (1913-1994).
The programme for these two concerts will be the same and will feature the Meccore Quartet, who will perform the works String Quartet No. 2, op. 56, by K. Szymanowski; String Quartet No. 3, “Leaves from an unwritten diary”, by K. Penderecki, and the String Quartet by W. Lutolawski. Tickets can be purchased at this link.
