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Chicago Opera Theater Presents Karol Szymanowski's King Roger

Nov. 22, 2022

Chicago Opera Theater led the Chicago premiere of Karol Szymanowski's King Roger on November 18 & 20 at the Harris Theater in Chicago. The production was led by stage director Dylan Evans and music director Lidiya Yankovskaya.

On his travels to Italy and North Africa between 1908 and 1914, Karol Szymanowski became fascinated with the history of these countries and collected a great deal of material, which was reflected in King Roger. In the three acts of this opera, Szymanowski captured three different cultures - partly based on authentic musical material: Byzantine, the Arab-Indian Orient, and Greco-Roman antiquity.

The plot of the opera is rooted in Euripides' "Bacchantes" and depicts in three oratorio-like tableaux: the struggle between Apollo and Dionysus, between the intellect and the unconscious, and between the Christian church in medieval Sicily and the pagan faith.

The libretto that Szymanowski wrote together with Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz can only be traced back to historical facts surrounding the figures of King Roger II, who ruled over Sicily from 1130 to 1154, and his advisor. Although the plot refers to typical counter-events of the time, it is fictitious as such.

In King Roger, Szymanowski proved himself to be an absolute master of ecstasy, mysticism and mystery.


The Shepherd's Entrance from King Roger/Royal Opera House/
Anthony Pappano, conductor; Kasper Holten, director.

To learn more about Karol Szymanowski, visit: universaledition.com.

Karol Szymanowski
King Roger (The Shepherd) (1918-1924)
Libretto (Pl): Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz and Karol Szymanowski 
Opera in 3 acts
3.3.4.3-4.3.3.1-6perc-2hp-cel-pno-org-str
120'

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