Teatr Wielki, today called the Teatr Wielki - Polish National Opera has been Poland's grandest opera and ballet institution. Its building was erected in 1825-1833 to designs by the Italian architect Antonio Corazzi of Livorno for the companies of national opera, ballet and drama active at the time in Warsaw. The first performance in the new building, Rossini's "Il barbiere di Siviglia", took place on 24 February 1833.
The building was converted several times. In the period of the partitions (1795-1918), it performed an important cultural and political role. The company produced works by Polish composers and choreographers. It was here that Stanisław Moniuszko's two best-known operas were produced for the first time ever: the complete version of "Halka" (1858) and "The Haunted Manor" (1865). It was also here that the Italian choreographer Virgilius Calori produced "Pan Twardowski" (1874) which (in the musical arrangement of first Adolf Sonnenfeld and then Ludomir Różycki) has for years been in the repertoire of the ballet company. The theatre showed operas by Władysław Żeleński, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Karol Szymanowski and other Polish composers, as well as ballet productions designed by such choreographers as Roman Turczynowicz, Piotr Zajlich and Feliks Parnell. At the same time, the repertoire included major world opera and ballet classics, performed by the most prominent Polish and foreign singers and dancers.
During the battle of Warsaw in 1939 the Teatr Wielki was bombed and almost completely ruined. Only the classicist façade survived the bombing. During the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 the Nazis shot civilians in the burnt-out ruins. The plaque to the right of the main entrance commemorates the suffering and heroism of the victims of fascism.
In 1945-1965 the company performed on other stages while the theatre building was being restored and expanded according to designs by Bohdan Pniewski, under the supervision of Arnold Szyfman. The restored theatre was opened to the public on 19 November 1965. At that time it was one of the most imposing and best-equipped theatres in Europe, provided with state-of-the-art installations and equipment.
Source: Polish National Opera
Performances
The Polish National Opera in the Teatr Wielki continues its 200-year tradition and produces works by Polish composers - from Karol Kurpiński, through Stanisław Moniuszko to Krzysztof Penderecki, but world classics are just as well represented; the company has in its repertoire the best operas by Beethoven, Bellini, Berg, Bizet, Borodin, Donizetti, Gounod, Massenet, Mozart, Offenbach, Prokofiev, Puccini, Rossini, Shostakovich, Richard Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Verdi and Wagner (including "The Ring").
The Warsaw ballet company has worked with Adret, Alicia Alonso, Béjart, Butler, Cullberg, Lacotte, Lazzini, Lifar, van Manen, Massine Jr., Méndez, Messerer, Neumeier, Rodrigues, Sergeyev, Walter, Vinogradov, Yuriko and many Polish choreographers, such as Leon Woizikovsky, Stanisław Miszczyk, Witold Gruca, and Emil Wesołowski.
Opera and ballet performances take place daily with the exception of Mondays throughout the season, which begins in October and ends in June. We look forward to seeing you at our next performance.
Contact Details & Tickets
T: (+48 22) 692 0200
