THE LITTLE MERMAID

“The Little Mermaid”

musical fable

 

proj. Barbara Mateja

"The Little Mermaid" is the most beautiful love story of all time: a fairy tale about pure love. The script of this musical fable was based on the classic fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" written by Hans Christian Andersen and on the opera-ballet "Syrena" by Witold Maliszewski, a Polish composer of the first half of the 20th century. Witold Maliszewski "polonized" Andersen's fairy tale, by locating its action on the Baltic Sea, giving the characters Slavic names and introducing Polish national dances. The premiere performance of the opera-ballet took place in 1928 at the Grand Theater in Warsaw and was directed by the composer himself. Hans Christian Andersen addressed his fairy tales for both children and adults: "My fairy tales are like colorful boxes, on the outside for children, inside for the elderly. Children understand the anecdote, adults understand deeper, hidden content.”

Credits

Script, direction and stage movement: Jadwiga Leśniak-Jankowska

Music: Witold Maliszewski, Claude Debussy, Oskar Kolberg, Dawid Sulej Rudnicki

Musical design and direction: Waldemar Groń, Dawid Sulej Rudnicki

Scenography, costumes: Grażyna Żubrowska, Barbara Mateja

Choreography: Marta Mirocka, Anna Berek

 

Biruta, the Little Mermaid: Emilia Żurek, Dominika Malaga

Mermaids, sisters of Biruta: Monika Kołodziejska, Wiktoria Zawistowska

Jurata, queen of the Baltic Sea: Paula Fundament

Court ladies of Jurata: Małgorzata Cierlik, Katarzyna Domanus, Marta Nabielec, Agnieszka Reiser

The Storm: Dominika Malaga

Prince, the ruler of the Blue Islands: Piotr Krajewski

Princess, the ruler of the Bright Islands: Katarzyna Domanus

Hetka, the minister: Emilia Żurek

Pętelka, the minister: Wiktoria Zawistowska

The Master of the Engagement Ceremony: Monika Kołodziejska

Court ladies of the Prince: Małgorzata Cierlik, Paula Fundament, Marta Nabielec, Agnieszka Reiser

Daughters of the Air: Monika Kołodziejska, Wiktoria Zawistowska, Emilia Żurek

Piastunka, the sea sorceress: Jadwiga Leśniak-Jankowska

Herald: Piotr Malaga

 

The Krakow Chamber Opera Orchestra
Violin I: Maria Boroń
Violin II: Barbara Szpakiewicz
Viola: Dominika Dudek / Barbara Papierz
Cello: Teodor Szulc
Flute: Ewa Tupik
Clarinet: Mariusz Stępień
Keyboard instruments: Dawid Sulej Rudnicki

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