There's few music venues as atmospheric as the Forest Opera in Sopot, truly a dream of a place for grand stagings such as the Festival's splendid "Turandot" this year, not to mention "The Flying Dutchman", revived from the first edition of the Festival, when falling rain added yet a new dimension to the spellbinding set and haunting music. Then there was Łódź Opera's guest production of "Hansel and Gretel" - also as an opportunity for family fun - and a special gala concert of the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra. Elżbieta Krajewska was talking to acclaimed bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny, spearhead of the idea of the BOF, and Baltic Opera's music director, conductor Yaroslav Shemet.