Opera Rara 2019 – programme of accompanying events

1st of February 2019 (Friday), 5:00 p.m.
De Revolutionibus Books&Cafe | Bracka 14
Neverending Drama – Ancient Love 

How did the ancient idea of love evolve? In what way was it reflected in the European cultural texts of various epochs? What does opera have to do with all of this? We are going to welcome a number of notable characters on our cot, including Amor, Jupiter, Hippolyte, Aricie, Fedra, Theseus, the protagonists of Song of Songs and Oedipus with his mother.  Aleksandra Klęczar and Agnieszka Fulińska will play the role of literature and art sexologists. Host: Krzysztof Bielawski. The meeting was prepared together with Aleksandra Klęczar (an expert in antiquity, as well as in pop culture) and Krzysztof Bielawski.

2nd of February 2019 (Saturday), 12:00 p.m.
Kurant Music Store | Rynek Główny 36
 
Meeting with Tomasz Cyz
Tomasz Cyz is a true Renaissance man – an outstanding essayist, charismatic editor, a sensitive reader and viewer. All these activities are connected by a common denominator – his great sensitivity to music and beauty. This makes him one of the most interesting contemporary directors. The meeting with Tomasz Cyz will be hosted by Agata Drotkiewicz.

6th of February 2019 (Friday), 9:30 p.m.
BAL Krakow | Ślusarska 9
Meeting with Krzysztof Garbaczewski

Before 2017, Krzysztof Garbaczewski did not dare to try his hand at opera. As the first attempt, he took up the challenge of directing Philip Glass’s open piece – A Madrigal Opera – a minimalist, trance-like, repetitive composition devoid of text, stage directions or any extra-musical cues that could suggest any direction of interpretation to the director. After the premiere, which took place two years ago, the Opera Rara Festival and Krzysztof Garbaczewski decided to reprise the performance, which is a great opportunity to ask the director about his debut in the world of musical theatre. The meeting with the director will be hosted by Justyna Nowicka.

8th of February 2019 (Friday), 4:30 p.m.
BAL Krakow | Ślusarska 9
Everyone is doing it. Agnieszka Drotkiewicz talks about love, attachment and betrayal with Professor Bogdan de Barbaro

Lust, betrayal, looking for something new, the need to be adored, the need to feel secure, games in a relationship. These are only some of the themes suggested by the libretto of Cosi fan tutte. Two (actually, even three!) couples, stuck in a continuous game between each other. What can we learn about ourselves and about our relationships from this opera? It is easier for us to show our true feelings In the unrealistic space of an opera, the costumes allow us to be naked in front of each other, and the beauty of music surrounds difficult themes and helps us face them. This sincerity of the opera resembles the sincerity of a therapist’s office. We invited Professor Bogdan de Barbaro, an outstanding humanities expert, psychiatrist and therapist, author of many publications, to talk about the dynamics of couples, the risk of change and the risk of the lack of changes.

8th of February 2019 (Friday), 6:00 p.m.
BAL Krakow | Ślusarska 9
Meeting with Cezary Tomaszewski

Cezary Tomaszewski was given a nigh impossible task – after all, how does one turn an opera that is not “rara” at all, in particular a stage hit such as Cosi fan tutte, and make something extraordinary out of it? Given his achievements to date and seeing what he has done with our national opera – Halka, we can expect that his interpretation of one of the most famous operas by the Mozart and da Ponte duo will be current, surprising, concerning us and the world around us through and through. The theatrical critic Tomasz Domagała will try to convince Cezary Tomaszewski to reveal some of his inspirations and meanings.

10th of February 2019 (Sunday), 1:00 p.m.
ICE Kraków Congress Centre, S4 Hall | Marii Konopnickiej 17
Ballet workshops with Adam Kozal

It would be hard to find a girl who did not dream of becoming a ballet dancer one day. I was no exception, but my failure to do a split during children’s classes discouraged me and I let this dream gather dust for a long time. Recently, I discovered that this dream can be pursued – at least to some extent – at any age. Classical dancing classes for adults are a great adventure – putting the body through classical ballet positions enables you to feel at least a little taste of the poetry of gestures of all ballet dancers and ballet masters. Besides, when you experience how much effort is required to position the body in a basic position, classical dance ceases to be a complete abstraction and you can better imagine how much effort is required to prepare the performances that we see on stage, performed by dancers.

Adam Kozal, who danced with John Neumeier’s Hamburg Ballett and as a soloist of the Polish National Ballet for many years, teaches ballet with great charm and sense of humour. Join us for an hour of euphoric poetry of gesture. It’s like champagne – but without all the side effects!

Note! You do not need ANY EXPERIENCE in classical dance to participate in the classes. Join us if you are interested! How to dress? Like you would to a gym – keep your comfort in mind. As Adam Kozal says: ”Ballet shoes are not required, but they are good for well-being – socks will be just as good!”

In order to participate in the classes, you need to download a free ticket available at: https://warsztatybaletowe.evenea.pl/

14th of February 2019 (Friday), 9:00 p.m.
Cocon Music Club | Gazowa 21
A Being with Imagination.

On women who want love, and who know how and why to do it. A meeting revolving around ISTOTA – the first Polish erotic comic book created exclusively by women. Join us for a meeting with Aleksandra Hirszfeld (who writes about IT), Alicja Długołęcka (who talks about IT) Tomasz Z. Majkowski (who would like to learn something about IT). Theoretical and practical introduction: Janelle Monae (who sings about IT).