Stanislaw Moniuszko has been dubbed the father of Polish national music, but only a few of his works have been seen outside of Poland where they are performed regularly. On this week’s Sunday Opera (5/18 3:00 p.m.) we’ll hear one of them, his “The Haunted Manor” (“Straszny Dwor”), and although it is labeled as a romantic comedy, it’s considered to be one of the finest examples of patriotic Polish themed music.
The story centers around two brothers who try to avoid the marriage who have decided not to marry because their “beautiful young wives” would make them want to stay home and not go to war to defend their country. However, to escape themachinations of their meddling aunt who wants to see them married, they accidentally find the women they love and want to marry in a purportedly haunted house.
The cast includes Andrzej Hiolski, Bozena Betley-Sieradzka, Wiera Baniewicz, Zdzislaw Nikodem, and Wieslaw Ochman who are joined by the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir conducted by Jan Krenz.
As always, we hope you’ll stay tuned after the opera for more music, this time including Moniuszko’s lovely Mass for Chorus, Four Voices, and Organ in D flat major, a charming “fantastic overture” entitled “Bajka,” and an overture from another of his forgotten operas, “Paria” (The Pariah).
