Goplana by Władysław 􏰀eleński. A few remarks on the style of the opera

Abstract

In November 2016, the National Theatre in Warsaw staged Goplana by Władysław Żeleński for the first time after its long absence from the stage. The opera was received with great acclaim by the critics worldwide, and in May 2017 it was granted an award at International Opera Awards in London in the category “rediscovered work.” This surprised not only Polish music lovers but also musicians, as the belief that Żeleński was a conservative composer whose works are a remnant of a bygone era had become widespread. This view had been shared by several generations and could not be verified since the composer’s pieces were very rarely performed, perhaps with the exception of his early works – the concert overture W Tatrach [In the Tatra Mountains] and a few songs. It was only recently that research on his oeuvre has been undertaken. The present article is aimed at providing additional information concerning the composing technique of Władysław Żeleński.

Keywords

• władysław żeleński
• goplana
• lyric opera
• opera in poland