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Baltic Opera Festival

From the very beginning, The Baltic Opera Festival has established itself as one of the largest open-air opera events in Europe. Renowned singer Tomasz Konieczny invites everyone to Gdańsk and Sopot for the upcoming edition of his original project, taking place on July 20-25.

Audiences will have the opportunity to experience opera productions specially curated for the Festival, featuring exceptional soloists. Celebrating Giacomo Puccini’s legacy, the Festival will present his final masterpiece, “Turandot.” It is with great pride that the Festival announces the participation of the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, with Keri-Lynn Wilson conducting Puccini’s opus. Richard Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” returns to the Forest Opera in Sopot, this time starring Tomasz Konieczny in the title role. The Baltic Opera Festival also offers numerous accompanying events and opportunities to meet the stars of the world opera scene.

Last year, the nearly packed audience was enthralled, as noted by: Die Welt’s Manuel Brug:”The almost-full audience was delighted; SWR2’s Regine Mueller praised it as “a fruitful revival of a unique place,” while Polityka weekly’s Dorota Szwarcman expressed optimism: “It is good that opera is back here, and let’s hope it will continue.”

With its unique crystal-clear acoustics and captivating scenography utilizing the natural surroundings of the Forest Opera in Sopot, alongside the finest soloists and producers, the Festival attracted over 8000 viewers last year.

This year, the adventure continues, adding new chapters to the history of a place known since its inception as “The Bayreuth of the North.”

 

The event is organized by the Baltic Opera Theatre in Gdańsk.

The Executive Partner is the Dal Segno Institute Association.

 

The Baltic Opera Festival received co-financing from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

Baltic Opera Festival was co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

Tomasz Konieczny

Tomasz Konieczny – Artistic Director of the Baltic Opera Festival

At its core, the Baltic Opera Festival follows from my dream of making full use of the wonderful possibilities and world-class potential of the Forest Opera in Sopot, an extraordinary open-air venue with a history dating back to 1909.

Tomasz Konieczny studied acting at the Łódź Film School, followed by vocal studies at the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw and the Carl Maria von Weber Dresden University of Music under Professor Christian Elßner. He specialises in German music. His extensive career has taken him to the world’s top stages, including: Oper Leipzig, Metropolitan Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Paris Opera, Carnegie Hall, Wiener Staatsoper, Teatro alla Scala, National Theatre of Japan in Tokyo, or Bayreuth Festival. In 2019, at the request of the leadership of the Wiener Staatsoper, he received the highest professional award in the German-speaking opera world: the title of the Österreichischer Kammersänger. In 2022, in recognition for his outstanding contribution to the development of Polish culture, he was presented with the Gold Gloria Artis Medal for Merits to Culture by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of Poland.

Honorary Committee

  • Dr Daniel Cichy Director and Editor-in-Chief of PWM Edition
  • Waldemar Dąbrowski General Director of the Polish National Opera, former Polish minister of culture (2002–2005)
  • Peter Gelb General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York
  • Andreas Homoki Director General of the Opernhaus Zürich
  • Jolanta Róża Kozłowska Former Polish ambassador in Vienna (2017–2022)
  • Stanisław Leszczyński Deputy Director of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute in Warsaw, Artistic Director of the Chopin and His Europe Festival
  • Joan Matabosch Grifoll Artistic Director of the Teatro Real Madrid
  • Jacek Marczyński Music journalist and critic
  • Dominique Meyer CEO and Artistic Director of the Teatro alla Scala, former General Director of the Wiener Staatsoper (2010–2020)
  • Elżbieta Penderecka Founder and President of the Ludwig van Beethoven Association
  • Cornelia Pieper General Consul of the Federal Republic Germany in Gdańsk
  • Bogdan Roščić General Director of the Wiener Staatsoper
  • Matthias Schulz General Director Staatsopern Unter den Linden in Berlin
  • Professor Katharina Wagner Director of the Bayreuth Festival
  • Professor Rafał Wiśniewski Deputy Director of the National Centre for Culture Poland
  • Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa Conductor, composer, former Polish minister of culture (1997–1999), former Director of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (2000–2018)

The Team

  • Organiser - The Baltic Opera Theatre in Gdańsk Director Romuald Wicza-Pokojski
  • Artistic Director Tomasz Konieczny
  • Director Rafał Kokot
  • Director for the Organization of Artistic Work and Impresario Paweł Marzec
  • Graphic Designer Adam Dudek
  • Main Producer Aleksandra Filipek
  • Head of Communication and PR Marzena Mikosz
  • Head of Promotion and Marketing Katarzyna Gigiewicz
  • Social Media Barbara Jop
  • Coordination of Ticket Sales and Accreditation Kamila Kończak

Organizers

Cooperation

Media Patrons

Executive partner

Technological Partners