The cast includes Scott Hendricks as King Roger, Olga Pasiecznik as Roxanne, along with Karol Kozłowski (Edrisi), Will Hartmann (Shepherd), Mieczysław Milun (Archiereios) and Agnieszka Rehlis (Diakonissa). The National Orchestra performs under the baton of Jacek Kaspszyk.
American baritone Scott Hendricks portrays Roger as a conflicted man, torn between his qualities as a strong leader and the feeble reality of his rule, who desires a life of sensual fulfillment. He is simultaneously magisterial and helpless in this truly powerful interpretation. As his wife, Roxana, soprano Olga Pasiecznik is completely entranced by the mysterious Shepherd. The pinnacle of her fine performance comes in Act II, when she sings an alluring song to Roger, less to seduce him than to cajole him into sparing the Shepherd. Will Hartmann portrays the Shepherd with great poise, capturing the qualities of confidence, mystery and lurid sexuality that embody the character.
- Arlo McKinnon in Opera News, December 2010
Following its premiere in Warsaw on the 1st of July the performance repeats on the 3rd and 5th. The production is set to enjoy is Belgian premiere at Brussels' La Monnaie in early September as part of the International Cultural Programme of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council. The life and works of Karol Szymanowski are among the six main flagship projects of the international cultural programme.
David Pountney made his mark on the world of opera with his production of Katya Kabanova at the 1972 Wexford Festival. Between 1975-80, David Pountney was Director of Production for Scottish Opera. He produced the world première of David Blake's Toussaint in 1977 at the English National Opera and went on to become Director of Productions in 1980, directing over twenty operas. He has directed over ten world premieres, including three by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies for which he also wrote the libretto, and has translated many operas into English from Russian, Czech, German and Italian. David Pountney was made a CBE and a Chevalier in the French Ordre des Arts et Lettres in 1993.
Premiere Date: 1st of July, 2011. Repeats: 3rd - 5th of July
Location: Grand Theatre - National Opera House
Organiser: Grand Theatre - National Opera House, Adam Mickiewicz Institute
Source: www.beethoven.org.pl, www.imgartists.com, www.naxos.com