The Fiery Angel

Sergei Prokofiev

Part I

ca. 1 h
Intermission

ca. 25 min.
Part II

Ca. 1 h 10 min.

Duration: ca. 2 hr 40 min.

13 May 2018 Sunday 18:00 Moniuszko Auditorium
15 May 2018 Tuesday 19:00 Moniuszko Auditorium
17 May 2018 Thursday 19:00 Moniuszko Auditorium
20 May 2018 Sunday 18:00 Moniuszko Auditorium
22 May 2018 Tuesday 19:00 Moniuszko Auditorium

Gallery
Duration
Photos
Video
Video
Virtual walk

Opera in five acts (seven scenes)
Libretto: the composer after Valery Bryusov
World premiere: 25 November 1954, Paris
Co-produced with: Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Den Norske Opera & Ballett.
In the original Russian with Polish and English surtitles

The production uses flashing lights.

Directed by Mariusz Treliński, 2018 International Opera Award winner. Find out more

An Angel reveals himself to a girl, the girl loves him platonically. The girl grows up, the Angel becomes the object of her desire. The desire of young Renata angers the Angel. For Renata, in turn, her love becomes the axis of the world: she tries to look for him in the men she meets. The image of the Angel she carries within her prevents her from forming a relationship with Ruprecht, who would do anything for her, including signing a pact with Mephistopheles. Religious visions, the desire for purity, guilt, the need to be punished, sadomasochism – all those feature prominently in this story. Who is Renata – a miss nobody, or an exalted manipulator? ‘Working on this role, I observe the behaviour of children, the behaviour of animals – they are impulsive, just as Renata. Her impulsiveness is striking, and reflected in the music,’ says Svetlana Sozdateleva, who has sung the role in several stagings of The Fiery Angel. The role is insanely psychologically and musically demanding, as is the case with the role of Ruprecht – one needs perfect pitch to sing this opera. The Fiery Angel, according to Vladimir Jurowski, is one of the most radical operas of the first half of the twentieth century. He finds in it musical references to Bluebeard’s Castle, Lulu, Wozzeck, as well as melodies and rhythms that did not find their way into music for another half a century, and only later resurfaced in 1960s and 70s rock music.