Karol Szymanowski's King Roger premiered in Warsaw in 1926, and despite accolades down the years, has had relatively few performances, though recently it has had successful revivals with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and also at Covent Garden. One critic calls it “an exotic masterpiece.” It tells the story of how in twelfth century Sicily King Roger and his entire court are converted from strict orthodox Christianity to a “transcendent pantheism,” a free approach to life, by a shepherd who just appears at court one day.
Thomas Hampson and Elzbieta Schmitka head the cast, with Simon Rattle conducting the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.
