The Theater an der Wien-Das Opernhaus is Vienna's third opera house. It sets itself apart from the State Opera and the People's Opera through its repertoire (many operas from the Baroque repertoire and lesser-known works) and its stagione system. In December, the program featured Halka by Polish composer Stanislaw Moniuszko alongside Giustino and Rodrigo by Handel.
Stanislaw Moniuszko (1819-1872) is regarded as the father of Polish opera. His two most famous works outside Poland are Halka from 1848 (second version 1858) and Straszny Dwor (The Haunted Castle) from 1865. Apparently Halka was already introduced to Belgium in 1956 in a French version but was never taken into the regular repertoire. The same held true in Vienna, where the People's Opera presented a staged version of the work in 1965. To bring Moniuszko's opera back to the Vienna stage, the Theater an der Wien chose to co-produce with the Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa Warsaw. It was the artistic director of Warsaw's national opera, Mariusz Trelinski, who staged Halka with the collaboration of Boris Kudlicka (set design), Dorothée Roqueplo (costumes), Tomasz Wygoda (choreography), Marc Heinz (lighting), and Bartek Macias (video).
The libretto by Wlodzimierz Wolski sets the action on a vast country estate in southern Poland at the end of the eighteenth century. Halka is a simple village girl, seduced and then abandoned by Janusz, who is now about to marry Zofia, the daughter of the wealthy landowner Stolnik. Mariusz Trelinski's staging relocates the action to the end of the 20th century, in and around a luxurious hotel. Apparently Halka works there as a maid or chambermaid and doesn't realize what is happening around her: the wedding preparations for Janusz and Zofia. Halka still believes in Janusz's love for her. This enrages and despairs Jontek, who truly loves Halka and wants to protect her. Trelinski presents the whole affair as a bad dream of Janusz, trapped on the revolving stage representing the hotel complex, where staff and guests move about, where Halka suffers a miscarriage and ultimately commits suicide. A more restrained staging would have been clearer and more convincing!st Too bad, because American soprano Corinne Winters, whom we admired in recent years in various roles at Flemish Opera, was a moving Halka, a fragile and vulnerable girl who expressed her love and despair with her expressive soprano voice, yet as a character sometimes got lost in and was absorbed by the busy scenic happenings. Jontek, the man who loves her but doesn't understand Halka's blind infatuation with Janusz, was performed with temperament and tenderness by the celebrated Polish tenor Piotr Beczala, who sang his rage and love with his golden tenor and dramatic power. Janusz, guilty and cowardly, was convincingly portrayed by Tomasz Konieczny with a fairly rough baritone. Alexey Tikhomitov gave Stolnik the necessary authority, and Natalia Kawalek was his spoiled, oblivious daughter Zofia, with a fresh soprano. The members of the Arnold Schoenberg Choir gave voice and presence to the guests and hotel staff. Lukasz Borowicz conducted the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra in a tense performance full of color and dramatic flair, and let the mazurka swirl!
: Halka, opera by Stanislaw Moniuszko, libretto by Wlodzimierz Wolski
- WHATVoices:
- WHO: Stemmand: Corinne Winters, Piotr Beczala, Tomasz Konieczny, Alexey; Chorus: Arnold Schoenberg Choir; Orchestra: ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna; Conductor: Lukasz Borowicz; Production: Mariusz Trelinski; Set Design: Boris Kudlicka; Costumes: Dorothée Roqueplo; choreography: Tomasz Wygoda; Lighting: Marc Heinz; Video: Bartek Macias
- PRODUCTION: Theater an der Wien with Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa Warsaw
- WHERE & WHEN: Vienna, Theater an der Wien, December 17, 2019
- PHOTOS: © Monika Rittershaus
