Time 19:00
The Royal Theatre in the Old Orangery in the Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw
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Rodelinda is one of the greatest operas of Georg Friedrich Handel. After its premiere on 13 February 1725 in King’s Theatre in London, the show was staged thirteen more times. The 1731 revival of the opera, with new cast, was no less popular. The work was also presented in Hamburg (1735 and 1736), after which it disappeared from opera stages for almost 200 years. Luckily, in 1920 Rodelinda was rediscovered by Oskar Hagen – a lecturer of art history at the University in Göttingen – and inaugurated the return of Handel to opera theatres.
Handel’s love for the opera is common knowledge. The author of over forty titles devoted half of his creative life to this genre, not without detriment to his health and energy, as well as financial situation. Rodelinda was written in the prime period of Handel’s Royal Academy of Music, generously supported by king George I.
Concise, extremely well-constructed libretto was written by Nicola Francesco Haym, basing it on an earlier libretto by Antonio Salvi, and the plot originates from Paul the Deacon. It’s the latter who mentions the story of faithful and steadfast queen Rodelinda in his History of the Lombards. It is also possible that Handel himself contributed to the final form of the text used in the opera. This is fantastically reflected in the clear and dramatically perfect form of the work. Contrasting affects carry powerful emotions – love meets hate, despair meets hope.
Marta Dziewanowska-Pachowska
FRAGMENTS TO BE PERFORMED
Overture
Rodelinda’s aria Ho perduto il caro sposo
Grimoaldo’s aria Io già t’amai, ritrosa
Eduige’s aria Lo farò, dirò spietato
Bertarido’s recitativo accompagnato Pompe vane di morte!
Rodelinda’s aria Morrai, sì, l’empia tua testa
Bertarido’s recitativo accompagnato Si, l’infida consorte
Bertarido’s aria Confusa si miri l’infida consorte
Garibaldo’s aria Tirannia gli diede il regno
Grimoaldo’s aria Tuo drudo è mio rivale
Rodelinda and Bertarido’s duet Io t’abbraccio
Unulfo’s aria Un zeffiro, spirò
Rodelinda’s aria Se’l mio duol non è si forte
Grimoaldo’s recitativo accompagnato Fatto inferno è il mio petto
Bertarido’s aria Vivi tiranno!
Coro Dopo la notte oscura più lucido
CAST
RODELINDA OLGA PASIECZNIK
BERTARIDO KACPER SZELĄŻEK
GRIMOALDO SYLWESTER SMULCZYŃSKI
EDUIGE JOANNA TALARKIEWICZ
UNULFO RAFAŁ TOMKIEWICZ
GARIBALDO PAWEŁ MICHALCZUK
THE PERIOD INSTRUMENTS ENSEMBLE OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA CAPELLA REGIA POLONA
CONDUCTOR KRZYSZTOF GARSTKA
Duration: around 1h 10 min
Seats are not numbered.
PLEASE NOTE: the entrance to the Royal Theatre in the Łazienki Park is located in ul. Agrykola.
We kindly encourage you to read the rules of participation in cultural events organized by the Polish Royal Opera:
- If you are not feeling well, are ill, had contact with an infected person – stay home.
- Please, take a mask with you. After entering the Theatre building you are obliged to wear a mask covering mouth and nose.
- Disinfect your hands after entering the Theatre building.
- Remember to sign the Participant Declaration. If possible, please bring the printed and signed declaration with you, if not – fill it in in the Theatre, in the place shown by the staff.
- The cloakroom will be closed on the day of the event. Please take your outerwear with you to the auditorium.
- Take the seat shown to you by the staff.
- Please come earlier – latecomers will not be allowed into the auditorium.
We care about the safety of our Guests!
- Disinfectants are available at the entrance to the building.
- The common space and sanitary rooms are disinfected.
- Only 50% maximum of the seats in the auditorium will be available.
- We keep safe distance.
Should you have questions, we are at your disposal on site or under the phone number +48 500 309 424.
