Organization

Conductor

Conductor (+3)

Benjamin Bayl

Stage director

Choreographer (+2)

Deda Cristina Colonna

Set designer

Stage director (+3)

Francesco Vitali

Costume designer

Lighting designer

Harpsichordist

Ewa Mrowca

Instrument

Chorusmaster

Chorusmaster (+2)

Krzysztof Kusiel-Moroz

Assistant Stage Director

Costume designer (+2)

Hannah Gelesz

Assistant Choreographer

Soprano (+2)

Adriane Canavarro

Assistant Conductor

Dorota Cybulska-Amsler

Jolanta Denejko

Bass (+3)

Wojciech Sztyk

Le Grand Prètre de Jupiter

Choreographer

Warsaw Chamber Opera

Orchestra

Period Instrument Orchestra Musicae Antiquae Collegium Varsoviense

Chorus

Vocal Ensemble of the Warsaw Chamber Opera

Teatr WOK

Tenor (+3)

Kieran White

Castor

Tenor

Hubert Walawski

Bass-baritone (+5)

Simon Robinson

Pollux

Baritone (+2)

Kamil Zdebel

Soprano (+3)

Judith van Wanroij

Télaïre

Soprano

Tosca Rousseau

Soprano (+1)

Marta Brzezińska

Phébé

Contralto (+3)

Anna Werecka

Bass (+4)

Dawid Biwo

Jupiter

Piotr Pieron

Ingrida Gapova

Cléone

Joanna Sojka

Tenor (+4)

Aleksander Rewiński

Mercury

Tenor (+2)

Aleksander Kunach

Castor et Pollux by Jean Philipp Rameau, who is considered a master of the French Baroque, at the Warsaw Chamber Opera gained the shape of an intelligent work, thanks to its references to tarot, esotericism and astrology, also universal and skilfully leading a contemporary dialogue with the past. The set design (Francesco Vatoli) is minimalist, but thanks to the use of multimedia and the phenomenal use of light, it gains clarity that deepens the interpretative tropes of the director (Deda Cristina Colonna). Simplicity prevails in building stage situations, from the variety of dances, ballet arrangements, arias and scenes with the participation of the choir, but thanks to the suggestive stage movement (especially in the case of a choir, it will be a very important gestural action, composed naturally, delicately and without mock emphasis) strongly influencing all our senses and the emotional need of the viewer emerging during perception. The static nature of the action is conquered by an innovative attempt to look at the ancient heroes, which tries to depart from purely baroque conventions and breathe new life into the form. Colonna and Vitali do not try to recreate the presented world, dominated by myths and references to antiquity, in a fairy-tale way, but when looking for a metaphor they go towards creating their own, strong world marked by intimacy, in which each image will be combined with its nobility with baroque music and the one that which in its content is still in essence important and eternally valid. The static nature of the action is conquered by an innovative attempt to look at the ancient heroes, which tries to depart from purely baroque conventions and breathe new life into the form. Colonna and Vitali do not try to recreate the presented world, dominated by myths and references to antiquity, in a fairy-tale way, but when looking for a metaphor they go towards creating their own, strong world marked by intimacy, in which each image will be combined with its nobility with baroque music and the one that which in its content is still in essence important and eternally valid. The static nature of the action is conquered by an innovative attempt to look at the ancient heroes, which tries to depart from purely baroque conventions and breathe new life into the form. Colonna and Vitali do not try to recreate the presented world, dominated by myths and references to antiquity, in a fairy-tale way, but when looking for a metaphor they go towards creating their own, strong world marked by intimacy, in which each image will be combined with its nobility with baroque music and the one that which in its content is still in essence important and eternally valid.

In terms of vocals, the performance can be considered to be sung very stylishly and nobly. Almost all artists have been gifted with interesting voices, and the secrets of the old techniques are undoubtedly no strangers to them. The most convincing was Kieran White in the role of Castor, his voice had the brightness appropriate for French music, but also the lightness, which is the basis for the performance of this type of repertoire. Only Kamil Zdebel was slightly behind him as Pollux; both singers, thanks to their resignation from the exaltation that might evoke an unnecessary impression, achieve a high degree of stage truth, sometimes even distance, which is not easy to achieve in this type of libretto. On their faces, every surprise, fear, happiness or emotion caused by the unexpected turn of events was discreet, but not devoid of internal tension. Aleksander Rewiński was a bit worse with the sounds in the upper register, but fortunately the parts he performed (Un Spartiate, Un Athlete, Mercure) were not the most important in this performance. Of the ladies, I liked Ingrid Gapova (Cleone, Une Suivante d'Hebe, Une Ombre Heureuse) the most, Telaire seemed to me too majestic and dignified in the interpretation of Toska Rousseau, while Anna Werecka hit the tones of envious, still intriguing Phebe.

The MACV Early Instruments Orchestra of the Warsaw Chamber Opera, led by the Australian conductor Benjamin Bayl, was characterized by freshness in articulating an expressive and lively musical line, properly reflecting the temperature and richness of moods contained in the Rameau score. The harmoniousness of the sound combined with the vocal interpretations of the soloists was also impressive. Bayl excellently moved from sequences of crazy storms or sequences of great dramatic power, not only emotional, to heavenly moments bringing gentle relief or peace of love confessions, including brotherly ones.

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