Chopin and His Master

comprising:

• Echo in the Woods (Echo w lesie) — opera by Józef Elsner
• 17 Songs by Frédéric Chopin in a staged setting
• Chopin’s Variations on La ci darem la mano

Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus

• 3649 East 65th Street
  Cleveland, OH 44105

• Friday, April 23, 2010
  at 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, April 24, 2010
  at 8:00 p.m.

Continuing our celebration of Chopin’s anniversary year, this production includes a US premiere of the one-act classical comic opera by Elsner, who was Chopin’s teacher. In Polish with English translation projected. Light and lovely.

• With Opera Circle Orchestra
  under Jacek Sobieski
• Jacek Sobieski, piano
• Krzysztof Biernacki, baritone
• Dorota Sobieska, soprano
• Andrzej Stec, tenor

TICKETS

• $55 Reserved Sponsor Seats
• $20 General Admission
• $10 Student

It is not until the current issue of Forum that we describe Opera Circle’s performances on November 20 and 22 of 2009. We hope that this tardiness will be forgiven by the directors of the Opera and the faithful public that came to the Bohemian National Hall, where the performances of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale took place. (more…)

Whenever I set out to describe a work presented by Opera Circle, I feel somewhat anxious. I doubt if I will be able to accomplish the task, whether I will sufficiently represent the composer and his work, whether I will grant enough credit to the tremendous dedication of the Sobieski family in such an endeavor…

My preference would be to share a brief commentary along with a colorful DVD, since it is truly impossible to express in words the entire artistic aura created by the sets, the costumes, the soloists, the choir, and, of course, the music as performed by the orchestra. (more…)

It’s difficult to mention the titles of all of Mozarts’ works that have become known through the repertory of the Opera Circle. So I will content myself with mentioning only numbers: Bastien and Bastienne is the seventh premiere of a Mozart opera by the Polish troupe based in Cleveland.

Mozart created twenty scenic-vocal works, which, considering his short life, barely 35 years, was a great achievement. He composed his first opera at the age of 10. Bastien and Bastienne was created when this talented child was only twelve years old. (more…)

Opera Circle brought its 10th Anniversary Season to closure with the Concert Addio, Thamos! presented at the Polish-American Cultural Center on Sunday, June 4, 2006. Reminiscent of the opera Thamos, King of Egypt, the concert eschewed the size but expanded the circumference of the event. While dedicated as a gift to Father Jerzy Kusy for his invaluable presence at St. Stanislaus Church (presently concluding), the concert also celebrated another great year of fruitful cooperation between Opera Circle and the Polish-American Cultural Center. What a wonderful record!
(more…)

Opera Circle gave this year two spectacles important for its up-to-date achievements. These were “Dido and Aeneas” by H. Purcell and “Thamos, King of Egypt” by W. A. Mozart. Since the first work was already described in Forum, let’s discuss the opera “Thamos, King of Egypt”. Is it only an opera or something more? Was it written just by Mozart? What should we call this kind of a spectacle where music, solos and assembly of singers, choruses, poetic and philosophical recitations, and dance (represented by many ballet interludes) are equally important?

When it comes to libretto we have a certain novelty. It was written by two authors: T. Ph. Baron von Gebler, a dramatist living in Mozart’s time, and Dorota Sobieska, whose part was substantial. Sobieska kept main plots and likeness of characters extending the legend written a long time ago for theater. The incidental music was mainly choral. In order to make it a full show the music needed to be expanded to include new arias and interludes, a task given to Halim El-Dabh, Egyptian by birth, Kent State University professor, and a composer of world renown. This seemingly very risky experiment turned out to be a success. The classical music of Mozart is juxtaposed in this new piece with the music of the XXI century. The enriched language of modern composition added to the piece a lot of lyrical quality and Egyptian character based on the folklore, because the action of the story is placed in ancient Egypt.
(more…)

Opera Circle recently presented the works of two composers living over 300 years ago, writing in a style known as Classical Music.  The two evening concerts were presented on March 10 at St. Anne’s Church in Cleveland Heights and at St. Stanislaus in Slavic Village on March 11.

The English composer, Henry Purcell  (1659-1695) and the Italian, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi both lived short lives, particularly Pergolesi who died in 1736 at the age of 26.  Opera Circle performed  Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater” and  Purcell’s opera, “Dido and Aeneas” .
(more…)

Due to the production cycles of the Forum, we are publishing with some delay this report of an event from December 10, 2005, a performance of „Rita”, a one-act comic opera of Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848), presented as part of a series of concerts in celebration of the tenth anniversary of Opera Circle.

With the right author addressing the topic, one can find much light humor in the relationship between husband and wife. The librettist Ustano Vaez is one such author. He came upon an idea to show us something different and just a bit livelier for the amusement of the audience: one wife with two husbands under no suspicion of bigamy, but rather living in accordance with the law.
(more…)

The round figure of the tenth anniversary of Opera Circle is reason for cordial congratulations to the entire cast and crew, for the expression of appreciation, and furthermore for a certain national pride.
For here two Poles gifted with a passion for music, having been professionally trained in Poland, undertake an enormous work: they open an opera house in Cleveland.

Dorota Sobieska and Jacek Sobieski did not resign from their artistic calling after coming to the US and did not change profession. Rather, they remained faithful to music. And furthermore in that most difficult form, which is the art of opera. To realize such a production requires various elements: soloists, orchestra, oftentimes chorus and ballet, sets, props, costumes, and naturally a venue.

All these components developed with each performance. From the very beginning, the operas were cast with exceptional soloists, while the instrumental ensemble continued to grow. Regular audience members and aficionados remember that the first operas were accompanied only by Jacek Sobieski on the piano. But with time, he became the conductor of a chamber orchestra, composed most regularly of twelve to fourteen musicians, among them the violinist daughter of the Sobieskis, Wanda. (more…)

This never happened before: it took place for the first time and hopefully with many repeats.

The two-day performance of the Opera Circle ensemble will go down in history as a cultural event recorded in gold letters.

On Saturday evening, June 26th, a piano recital featuring Jacek Sobieski took place at the Center. The following day, after traditional dinner was a yet another spiritual feast. All thanks to Dorota Sobieski. This time it was a musical program entitled “Addio!” which ended the Opera Circle’s season for the summer.

First, let us focus on the Saturday piano performance of Jacek Sobieski. He played a repertoire that was ambitious and at the same time interesting.

(more…)