Stanisław Moniuszko: Paria

Renowned in his native Poland, and increasingly recognised internationally as an opera composer of significance, Stanisław Moniuszko (1819–1872) could always be relied on for superb music drama. Despite this reputation, his final opera Paria long remained his least frequently staged. Now, however, its touching story of love, exclusion and the power of social rules can be relished in this concert version that was awarded First Prize in the Rediscovered Work category at the 2021 International Opera Awards. Conducted by internationally acclaimed Jacek Kaspszyk, and with a star cast in an all-Polish production from the superb Poznań State Moniuszko Opera Orchestra and Chorus, this is an opportunity to savour a rarely recorded work.


8.660516-17

Stanisław MONIUSZKO (1819–1872)
Paria
Opera in three acts with prologue (1859–69)
Libretto by Jan Chęciński (1826–1874)
after Casimir Delavigne (1793–1843)
Sung in Polish

Aleksandra Kiedrowska, Iwona Sobotka Sopranos
Piotr Friebe, Dominik Sutowicz, Tenors
Stanisław Kuflyuk, Baritone • Rafał Korpik, Bass
Poznań Opera House Orchestra and Chorus
Jacek Kaspszyk

Stanisław Moniuszko’s music is filled with patriotic character and songful lyricism, and of his numerous operas he is perhaps best remembered for Halka (8.660485-86) and The Haunted Manor (8.111391-92). With his reputation as ‘the father of Polish national opera’ firmly established, Paria was his final completed opera. The tragic narrative tells of the pariah Idamor, who becomes the heroic leader of an army and goes against Indian social norms in choosing Neala, the daughter of High Priest Akebar, as his bride. Although Paria was misunderstood by critics at its premiere, the moving themes of exclusion and the power of social rules now make it an opera for our times.

Listen to an extract from Act I:
Przedwieczny! (Eternal God!)
About the Artists
More recordings of music by Stanisław Moniuszko
8.660485-86
Halka
Sutowicz • Molendowska • Goliński • Korpik • Wilczyńska-Goś • Konieczek • Poznań Opera House Orchestra and Chorus • Chmura
‘Nobody will be in the slightest disappointed by this colourful, driven performance. Highly recommended indeed.’
Gramophone
8.572716
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
‘There is a lovely grace and elegance to much of this music, and Wit captures it with a lighter touch than others. The Warsaw Philharmonic is a front rank orchestra, and this music is in their blood... In sum, this is a delight.’
Fanfare
8.573610
Ballet Music
Hrabina • Halka • The Haunted Manor

Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra • Wit
★★★★
‘From the music contained in this collection, it’s clear that Moniuszko was a first-rate professional who could turn out reams of colourful, brilliantly scored music at will.’
Fanfare
8.111391-92 *
Straszny dwór
(The Haunted Manor)

Paprocki • Kossowski • Kostrzewska • Kurowiak • Woźniczko • Peter • Poznań State Moniuszko Opera Chorus and Orchestra • Bierdiajew

The Haunted Manor is generally considered to be Moniuszko’s masterpiece. In a plot thick with masculine challenges and feminine trickery, the story revolves around two brothers and the romantic complications which arise in a house cast under a spell of love.

* May not be available in all markets due to copyright reasons.

For the full list of Stanisław Moniuszko titles on Naxos, please follow this link.


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