Since the premiere of the Warsaw version of Halka in 1858, Stanisław Moniuszko's opera has enjoyed cult status. The story of a highlander's unhappy love for a young master remains one of the most important artifacts of Polish (pop) culture. The opera's extraordinary success stems from its skillful blend of spectacular spectacle with important social themes, primarily class exclusion. After all, the tragic ending of the love story is linked to misplaced love – Halka and Janusz are separated by a gulf of social class differences.

Halka

Teatr Wielki - Polish National Opera

The last hours of the singer Flora Tosca and artist Mario Cavaradossi's passionate love: they couldn’t escape the vortex of power and violence. Their attempts to break free from the unscrupulous Police Chief Scarpia’s system were in vain. The strength in Puccini’s opera lies in striking portrayals of extreme emotions, violence, jealousy and persecution. The composer decided on this work while watching a performance of Victorien Sardou’s play, with Sarah Bernhardt as Tosca. His music lives in the keenly sketched characters, their outpourings contrasting with lyrical moments. Director Andreas Kriegenburg homed in on their private lives, while liberating the characters from clichés: they could be people of today, broken by a brutal police state. Strong visual effects and detailed portraits of the three key protagonists turn his production into a study of the abuse of power and resistance.

EPSG:4326

Tosca

Oper Frankfurt

TOSCA

Damiano Michieletto’s searing production returns, casting a new light on the lust, violence and passion of Bizet’s ever-popular opera.

Carmen

Royal Opera House

The story of Cio-Cio-San is one of the most beautiful Puccini operas about love. To think that its 1904 premiere at Milan’s La Scala was one of the most bitter experiences in the composer’s life! The atmosphere in the auditorium was almost unbearable. ‘La Bohème!’ chanted the crowd, accusing Puccini of reusing his musical ideas, while booing and yawning ostentatiously. The performance was a complete and utter failure. The composer was savaged by the critics. Rewritten and restaged at the Teatro Grande in Brescia, the opera scored an ultimate triumph. The audience demanded encores of seven passages and the opera became a favourite with theatre programmers around the world.

Madama Butterfly

Award-winning Broadway director Diane Paulus brings us a powerful new Carmen.
Passion ignites when Don José meets the fiercely independent Carmen, but she won’t give up her freedom without a fight.

The energy and emotion of Bizet’s score collide with urgent, raw choreography in this visceral new production.

Glyndebourne

Hostility, hatred and religious wars, power, helplessness and desire: in the Hebrew struggle for freedom, Samson, as God’s chosen one, rebukes the hostile Philistines. Samson seems invincible until his love for the Philistine Dalila exposes him. She finds out the secret of his extraordinary strength. The loss of his identity is at stake, and a race against time begins.

Łukasz Goliński

Events

Upcoming events

Sep 5, 2025 - Jan 2, 2026

Tosca · Oper Frankfurt

4 - 12 Jul, 2026

Samson et Dalila · Staatsoper Berlin

Past events

Nov 28 - Dec 7, 2025

Halka · Polish National Opera

Sep 5, 2025 - Jan 2, 2026

Tosca · Oper Frankfurt

Future and recently performed repertoire

Baron Scarpia in Tosca by Puccini

Oper Frankfurt

High Priest of Dagon in Samson and Delilah by Saint-Saëns

Staatsoper Berlin

Janusz in Halka by Moniuszko

Polish National Opera

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