The Secret Life of Paintings

The Secret Life of Paintings is a unique combination of arias from the operas of Monteverdi, Handel and Vivaldi with visual art from the Baroque era. Fragments of such works as Orlando, Ariodante or Alcina, that is “musical paintings”, are the setting for stories based on scenes immortalised on the canvases of old masters.

What did Vermeer’s Woman Reading a Letter learn from the correspondence? What is Rembrandt’s Night Watch talking about just before marching out? And who will catch the maiden’s slipper in Fragonard’s The Swing? 

These and many other questions will be answered during the concert The Secret Life of Paintings.

The event is a co-production of the Polish National Opera and the Polish Royal Opera. The soloists of the Opera Academy of the Polish National Opera are accompanied by the Period Instruments Ensemble of the Polish Royal Opera Capella Regia Polona conducted by Krzysztof Garstka.

Music director: KRZYSZTOF GARSTKA
Written and directed by EWA RUCIŃSKA
Choreography: ILONA MOLKA
Video projections: PIOTR MAJEWSKI
Lighting: MACIEJ IGIELSKI
Costumes and styling: ELŻBIETA TOLAK

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
Rodelinda, overture

CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI

The Return of Ulysses to his Homeland, Neptune's aria Superbo è l'huom
PAWEŁ MICHALCZUK bass-baritone (POK soloist)

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL

Rinaldo, Armida's aria Furie terribili
KATARZYNA DRELICH soprano (as guest)

Ariodante, Ariodante's aria Dopo notte
EMILIA RABCZAK mezzo-soprano

Ariodante, duet of Ginevra and Ariodante Bramo aver mille vite
IZABELLA FABRYCKA soprano
MARTA WIKTORZAK mezzo-soprano

Agrippina, Agrippina’s aria L'alma mia fra le tempeste
IRYNA MELNYK soprano

Alcina, Alcina's aria Si son quella
JUSTYNA KHIL soprano

Alcina, Morgana’s aria Tornami a vagheggiar
GABRIELA STOLIŃSKA soprano

Rinaldo, duet of Armida and Argante Al trionfo del nostro furore
IZABELLA FABRYCKA soprano
NAZAR MYKULYAK baritone

Apollo and Daphne, Apollo’s aria Come rosa sul la spina
NAZAR MYKULYAK baritone

Ariodante, Ginevra’s arioso Vezzi, lusinghe e brio
GABRIELA STOLIŃSKA soprano

Ariodante, Ariodante’s aria Scherza infida
EMILIA RABCZAK mezzo-soprano

Amadigi di Gaula, aria Pena tiranna
ENES AKSU countertenor (as guest)

Giulio Cesare in Egitto, Cleopatra’s aria Piangerò la sorte mia
IZABELLA FABRYCKA soprano

ANTONIO VIVALDI

Olimpiada, Sinfonia

Cessate, omai cessate, recitative and aria Cessate, omai cessate / Ah ch'infelice sempre
NATALIIA TEPLA mezzo-soprano

Judith triumphant, Vagaus’ aria Armatae face et anguibus
MARTA WIKTORZAK mezzo-soprano