Time 19:00
The Royal Theatre in the Old Orangery in the Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw
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The tradition of passion-themed performances dates back to the Middle Ages. Shown in churches and schools, during religious processions and court ceremonies over the centuries, they constituted a testimony to the dramatic story of the Passion of the Christ that continues to be relevant to this day – originally documented in the New Testament, and then interpreted many times in literature, art, and music. The Polish Royal Opera brings back the richness of old Polish customs, pointing to the universal message of the Passion through a new reading of old texts and musical pieces.
A Play about the Passion and Resurrection is a tale of innocent suffering and human weakness, but also about hope and the victory of goodness and truth. Patryk Kencki’s script composed of old Polish texts is filled with the oldest Polish songs and dances arranged by Jacek Urbaniak. In addition to works by well-known authors, such as Cyprian Bazylik, Krzysztof Klabon, Mikołaj Gomółka, and Wacław of Szamotuły, we will hear anonymous compositions from Renaissance tablatures. Performed on period instruments, they will evoke the atmosphere, color, and diversity of Poland from a bygone era. However, the performance is not an attempt to reconstruct Renaissance or Baroque theater: the biblical story is presented in an inventive way using modern means appropriate to the sensitivity of the modern viewer.
MUSIC DIRECTOR KRZYSZTOF GARSTKA
MUSIC, ARRANGEMENT JACEK URBANIAK
PLAY SCRIPT PATRYK KENCKI
DIRECTOR, LIGHTING DESIGN JERZY MACHOWSKI
SET DESIGN AND COSTUMES ALEKSANDRA REDA
CHORUS MASTER JAKUB SZAFRAŃSKI
ASSISTANT DIRECTORS SŁAWOMIR JURCZAK, AGNIESZKA KOZŁOWSKA
ASSISTANT SET DESIGNER PAULINA ARASZKIEWICZ
STAGE MANAGER AGNIESZKA ORLIKOWSKA
CAST
PROLOGUS / JESUS / EPILOGUS ADAM KRUSZEWSKI
ZECHARIAH / PETER PAWEŁ MICHALCZUK
PRIMUS ANDRZEJ KLEPACKI
SECUNDUS JAKUB A. GRABOWSKI
TERTIUS JAN MACHOWSKI
IVAN PIOTR CHWEDOROWICZ
PHARISEE WOJTEK GIERLACH
ANNAS MATEUSZ ZAJDEL
CAIAPHAS LESZEK ŚWIDZIŃSKI
JUDAS WITOLD ŻOŁĄDKIEWICZ
JOHN ROBERT SZPRĘGIEL
MARY ANETA ŁUKASZEWICZ
PONTIUS PILATE SYLWESTER SMULCZYŃSKI
ANGEL BARBARA ROGALA
MARY MAGDALENE GABRIELA KAMIŃSKA
MARY SALOME DOROTA LACHOWICZ
MARY JACOBI JUSTYNA STĘPIEŃ
DEVIL PIOTR KĘDZIORA
THE CHORUS OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA
THE PERIOD INSTRUMENTS ENSEMBLE OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA CAPELLA REGIA POLONA
CONDUCTOR KRZYSZTOF GARSTKA
The seats in the auditorium are not numbered.
PLEASE NOTE: the entrance to the Royal Theatre in Łazienki Park is located in Agrykola street.
