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Opera Road TripAuthor: OperaVision
Opera Road Trip (2025-2027) is OperaVision's two-year podcast series, a journey through the 17 countries that currently partner with OperaVision, discovering their operatic history and current relationship with the artform, and meeting along the way young talents finding their voice and seasoned professionals who have devoted their lives to the stage, discovering the diverse paths that have led them to opera and the enduring belief in its relevance, past, present, and future. Opera Road Trip is hosted by Sebastian F. Schwarz. Before Opera Road Trip, OperaVision Next Generation podcast series (2022-2024) charted the journeys of singers on four competitive young artist programmes across Europe. From masterclasses and performances, to rehearsal rooms and dressing rooms, we hear the motivations, desires and the challenges they face - along with insight from experts on how they are nurturing the next generation of opera talent. Language: en Genres: Arts, Music, Performing Arts Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Poland - Europe's fearless stage
Episode 7
Monday, 2 March, 2026
Polish opera takes centre stage in this episode of Opera Road Trip. From Warsaw to Kraków, Gdańsk and Poznań, Sebastian F. Schwarz explores how Poland built one of Europe's most resilient and decentralised operatic ecosystems. Introduced at the royal court in the 17th century, opera became a powerful tool of national identity — especially during the 19th century partitions. Stanisław Moniuszko's Halka, Straszny dwór and Hrabina established a Polish operatic canon that still defines the repertoire today. In the 20th century, Karol Szymanowski's Król Roger reimagined Polish identity through myth and modernism, Krzysztof Penderecki expanded operatic sound into radical new territories, and Mieczysław Weinberg's Pasażerka confronted memory, exile and trauma. The episode features Boris Kudlička, General Director of the Polish National Opera; soprano Olga Pasychnik; and director Sir David Pountney, whose productions have helped bring Polish repertoire to international audiences via OperaVision. Poland emerges as a living operatic culture — balancing heritage, innovation and international collaboration across four centuries. Opera Road Trip is hosted by Sebastian F. Schwarz, whose curriculum as an opera manager includes positions at Theater an der Wien, Glyndebourne, Teatro Regio Torino, Festival della Valle d'Itria, Hamburgische Staatsoper and Wexford Festival Opera. He is Vice-President of the International Richard Strauss Society, member of the board of the European Musical Theatre Academy and co-founder of the Cesti Competition for Baroque Opera. He currently serves as Casting Manager of Teatro alla Scala , Milan. All episodes: https://operavision.eu/feature/operavision-podcasts Music extracts for this episode: Introduction: Fidelio (Ludwig van Beethoven): Overture, op. 72 Two excerpts from Hrabina – The Countess (Stanisław Moniuszko) Halka's aria from Halka (Stanisław Moniuszko): Julianna Grigorian, Grand Prize Winner, International Stanisław Moniuszko Voice Competition 2022 Roxana's aria from Król Roger (Karol Szymanowski): Olga Pasychnik Sneak preview from Dorian Gray (Elżbieta Sikora), world premiere Poznań, 2025 OperaVision is a freeview opera streaming platform, supported by the European Union's Creative Europe programme. Watch live streams as performances unfold in the opera house. Enjoy a variety of shows — including opera, operetta, musical theatre, dance, ballet and concerts. Opera connoisseur or curious newcomer, there is something for everyone on OperaVision.
