Polish composer's opera in Rome
PR dla Zagranicy
Victoria Bieniek
06.10.2017 11:13
The opera “King Roger” by the Polish composer Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937) opened on Thursday a new season at the Accademia Nazionale de Santa Cecilia in Rome.
The Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia orchestra. Photo: 00santacecilia00/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
A concert version of the work was presented, under the title “Re Ruggero”, with Antonio Pappano on the conductor’s podium and an international cast including young Polish baritone Łukasz Goliński in the titular role.
Setting the scene for the premiere, the Italian press hailed Szymanowski’s opera as a masterpiece of 20th-century music. Antonio Pappano praised the richness of the work’s timbral colours and its psychological depth. “Szymanowski spent much time travelling in Sicily and the influence of the Mediterranean culture is very evident in his opera”, he added.
The event was co-organized by the Warsaw-based Adam Mickiewicz Institute within the framework of the Polska Music programme.
Antonio Pappano, who also conducted the production of “King Roger” at the Royal Opera House in London in 2015, said that he is planning to conduct the opera at Milan’s La Scala in 2021.
Two further performances of “Re Ruggero” are planned, on 7 and 9 of October. (mk/vb)