One of the greatest masterpieces of the 20th century and at the same time the Polish opera title most frequently performed on world stages. Opera, oratorio and mystery play at the same time.
The idea of writing an opera by Szymanowski and Iwaszkiewicz was born in Elizavetgrad and Odessa at the end of World War I, right after the October Revolution. Why, today, a century after those events, is it important to stage King Roger? Just as then, so today, war continues to reap its toll in the name of ideologies and convictions, and precisely in this place, in Ukraine.
The opera directly addresses the futility of everything that is earthly. At the same time, it places the "pure heart" of a human being at the center of attention. We are keeping watch over a dying king. In a delirium, the Good Shepherd appears to him. The real world and illusions intertwine. The Shepherd helps Roger recognize the essence of human nature.
The Gdańsk City Theatre Award for 2022 for Leszek Skrla for a male role
