The emergence of a new capital from the rubble of postwar Warsaw will become the subject of a new opera. The libretto will be based on the book "The Best City in the World" by Grzegorz Piątek. The work is to become a story of determination, optimism and momentum, a musical memorial to the builders.
The project is being prepared by Sinfonia Varsovia in cooperation with the „Warsaw Autumn” International Festival of Contemporary Music, the Grand Theater—National Opera and the Museum of Warsaw. A competition procedure will select those who will write the music and libretto of the piece. Who among those invited to the competition will win the jury's recognition will be found out in May. They will be selected from among the invited artists and creators by a specialized jury. The musical jury is chaired by the director of „Warsaw Autumn”, composer Jerzy Kornowicz, and the literary jury is chaired by playwright Piotr Gruszczynski.
I am extremely excited about this project. The best, most beautiful city in the world—Warsaw—has been rebuilt thanks to the determination, strength and solidarity of the people. This operatic work, which will be created in the future, will tell us about the founding myth of our city. We will see the effects of the work already underway in more than two years on the stage of the Grand Theater—National Opera. I, probably like many Varsovians, eagerly await the day of the premiere of Warsaw's first opera. I am sure it will be a fascinating spectacle.
Aldona Machnowska-Góra, deputy mayor of Warsaw.
Based on the Nike-winning book "The Best City in the World," the opera is to tell the story of those involved in rebuilding the capital—a joint effort of unprecedented scale. The new capital will emerge from the devastation of World War II, the work will tell the story of the functioning of the Capital Reconstruction Bureau, the creators of the projects and the builders of the phoenix city. At the same time, the work is to be filled with optimism, momentum and determination characteristic of this great process. Thus, it is to be, above all, a message of hope and the will to live against destruction and death.
The opera is scheduled to premiere at the opening of the 2025/2026 season at the Grand Theater—National Opera, and at the same time at the end of the 68th Warsaw Autumn International Festival—the 80th anniversary of the start of the rebuilding of Warsaw. It is planned that the opera will be performed on a big stage with a large cast: symphony orchestra, soloists, choir, dancers, accompanied by electronics and audiovisual projections. It will be written using new means of expression appropriate to contemporary musical language, and its form will innovatively refer to the traditional opera form. It is expected to produce a communicative yet modern work. The duration of the composition is estimated at 120 minutes.
Also read: construction of the Sinfonia Varsovia complex will start soon
