Gala Opening of the Warsaw Chamber Opera 33rd Mozart Festival,13th May 2024, Warsaw Philharmonic Hall

Anyone familiar with my past reviews will know the deep affection I have had for Warszawska Opera Kameralna (Warsaw Chamber Opera) over many years and which continues with transformations of its history.

This gala concert at the Warsaw Philharmonia Hall was a particularly affecting and charming event of warm-hearted devotion to Mozart.  

A number of Mozart arias were sung by two outstanding soloists, the Australian soprano Jessica Pratt (just returned from  Australia performing in Mozart's The Abduction from the Seraglio) and the Czech tenor Petr Nekoranec. The fine Period Instrument Orchestra of the Warsaw Chamber Opera (MACV), conducted by Michal Maciaszczyk, performed various overtures to Mozart operas.

Here is the programme:

I cannot possibly analyse each aria and overture suffice to say they were all outstanding in a cossetting atmosphere of musical love, historical range, command of style and superlative vocal and orchestral technique. A charming, well-informed commentary and presentation of the singers, arias and overtures was given by the Director of the Chamber Opera, dr hab. Alicja Wegorzewska-Whiskerd.

I very much anticipate the fine programme of Mozart operas and orchestral arrangements of his Requiem that  that lies ahead until the end of June

https://operakameralna.pl/en/home-english/

Photographs by Grzegorz Bargieł (except the cake!)

Jessica Pratt

The conductor Michal Maciaszczyk

Petr Nekoranec

Jessica Pratt signals a change of mood and costume

The truly delightful informal and joyful  party following the concert with abundant refreshments for the many invited guests carrying on in the Gala operatic atmosphere !

From the Lt: Michal Maciaszczyk, Alicja Wegorzewska-Whiskerd, Jessica Pratt, Danuta Bodzek, Petr Nekoranec

Alicja Wegorzewska-Whiskerd and yours truly MM

The WOK Company are at present in Vienna and have taken the notably critical audience by storm!

At last some proper international exposure for Polish musicians and their musical companies. Long overdue !

Warszawska Opera Kameralna (Warsaw Chamber Opera) and Jessica Pratt at the 
Musikverein, Vienna

On 19th May the inauguration of Vienna's part 33 ended with a standing ovation and encore. The opening of the Mozart Festival in Warsaw and Mozart played by Poles in Vienna delighted everyone. It's another dream come true. 

From the Warszawska Opera Kameralna website:

Grand Vienna Gala of the 33rd Mozart Festival

After the success of the previous editions of the Mozart Festival, we are expanding the scope of the festival to include a city particularly associated with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Vienna. Presenting our art in one of the capitals of the musical world is a bold, ambitious and at the same time natural further path of development of the Warsaw Chamber Opera. It has become a tradition to inaugurate the Mozart Festival in Warsaw with the Grand Opening Gala. This is a true celebration of the art of the Salzburg Master, a concert during which the walls of the National Philharmonic resound with masterpieces and phrases inscribed in the canon of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's art. 

We want to move this annual Festival further, to a city particularly associated with W. A. Mozart's work, to one of the capitals of the musical world - Vienna. On May 19, we will play the gala in the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musical Society, the famous, prestigious Musikverein - a place where not only annual New Year's concerts take place, but also a center of musical excellence. A performance in this hall is an ennoblement and an extraordinary experience for every artist and band.