INFORMATION PORTAL OF THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE OF THE KUJAWSKO-POMORSKIE Region IN TORUŃ

“King Roger” by Karol Szymanowski is the latest premiere from our Opera Nova. The production is directed by Robert Bondara, with Sasha Yankevych conducting. In the premiere cast (Saturday, November 8), the title role will be performed by world-renowned bass-baritone Łukasz Goliński.

The opera, for which the libretto was written by the composer himself together with Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, is one of the few Polish operatic works to have conquered the world’s leading stages. First performed in Warsaw in 1926, it later entered the global operatic canon and is regarded as one of the most important operas of the 20th century—not only because of its music but also its libretto, co-created by a distinguished Polish prose writer. It is widely interpreted as a philosophical treatise on power, transformation, and freedom.

“Bondara interprets Iwaszkiewicz and Szymanowski’s work as the story of a man burdened with the weight of power—someone who has everything, yet remains lonely and entangled in a web of dependencies. Audiences will see a psychologically rich portrait of a man searching for self-knowledge and inner freedom. The creative team, which last year produced Orpheus and Eurydice for Opera Nova, once again presents a captivating and original stage vision,” wrote Ewa Chałat from Opera Nova in a press release ahead of the premiere.

“I think this is an opera that can make everyone realize something different. For me, it is a work about constant transformation. Nothing is given once and for all. I believe each viewer will perceive this performance differently—filtering it through their own emotions and experiences,” commented Łukasz Goliński. For the artist, long associated with our opera stage, this is another encounter with King Roger—he previously performed the role at the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera in Warsaw (premiere in 2018, directed by Mariusz Treliński).

Tickets for the upcoming performances are, unfortunately, almost completely sold out.

Opera Nova is a cultural institution of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Regional Self-Government.

Beata Krzemińska

Spokesperson of the Marshal’s Office

November 7, 2025