Featuring an array of outdoor performances at the open-air Forest Opera in the coastal resort of Sopot and the Baltic Opera in the port city of Gdańsk, and even an industrial shipyard in nearby Gdynia, the festival is set to blend classical music with unique venues.
Renowned bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny, who serves as the festival's artistic director, is slated to perform in the lead role of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman.
The festival, which is now in its second year, will open with a new staging of Puccini's Turandot, directed by Waldemar Zawodziński with Keri-Lynn Wilson conducting.
'Solidarity & Freedom'
Notably, this year's Turandot performances will feature the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, comprising Ukrainian musicians displaced by conflict and others from across Europe, demonstrating a theme of resilience through art.
Other highlights include the "Solidarity & Freedom" concert at the Crist shipyard, offering a fresh interpretation of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in Ukrainian.
This concert aims to celebrate themes of freedom and solidarity in a space synonymous with resistance.
Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra. Photo: Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage/twitter.com/kultura_gov_pl
"We wanted the freedom concert to be held in a space associated with the fight for freedom and solidarity," said Konieczny.
"The event will take place in a production hall that is currently occupied by ship components. On July 17, all these will be removed from the hall, and six days later, the place will be transformed into a concert hall."
The festival, to be held from July 20 to 25, will also revisit last year's successful production of The Flying Dutchman and introduce a new performance of Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, originally scheduled for the Forest Opera but relocated due to logistical issues.
With its innovative settings and a lineup of international talent, the Baltic Opera Festival promises an unforgettable experience for opera enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP