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, Sopot and Gdynia 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. Continuing cooperation between opera institutions in Poland, The Grand Theater from Łódź will stage the musical fairy tale “Hänsel und Gretel” by Engelbert Humperdinck. 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 Partner of the Festival is the Dal Segno Institute Association.
The Baltic Opera Festival received co-financing from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.
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.
