Poland celebrates its national holiday in Berlin: With Karol Szymanowski's "King Roger"

Every year on November 11th, Poland celebrates its independence. The national holiday commemorates the year 1918, when the country regained its sovereignty after 123 years of partition between Russia, Prussia, and Austria-Hungary. With the end of the First World War and the Armistice of Compiègne, a historic window opened for Poland: Józef Piłsudski assumed supreme command of the Polish armed forces on this day, laying the foundation for the rebirth of the Polish state. To mark this occasion, the Poznań Opera invites you to the Berlin Philharmonie for the fourth time, where Polish Independence Day will be celebrated in Berlin on November 12th (one day after the official date). Following the successful concert presentations of Moniuszko operas, it is now time for one of the most important works of the 20th-century Polish repertoire – "King Roger" by Karol Szymanowski. "King Roger" arose from Szymanowski's fascination with antiquity, the Orient, and Nietzsche's philosophy—inspirations the composer gathered during travels to Sicily and North Africa. The libretto, written in collaboration with Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, was composed during the turbulent times following the First World War and is a spiritual journey into the depths of the human soul. The richly contrasting composition unites oriental melodies, Christian liturgy, and modern musical language.

The title role will be sung by Szymon Mechliński , an outstanding baritone of the younger generation, celebrated on renowned stages in Europe and America. The musical direction will be in the hands of Jacek Kaspszyk, one of the most important Polish conductors of the 21st century, and the evening will be moderated by Frederik Hanssen .

We invite you to one of the most important events for the promotion of Polish culture in 2025. "King Roger" is an opera about freedom, inner transformation, and the search for harmony – a work that Szymanowski himself considered his greatest achievement.

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King Roger – Szymon Mechliński (baritone) Roksana – Ruslana Koval (soprano) Shepherd – Andrzej Lampert (tenor) Edrisi – Piotr Kalina (tenor) Archiereios – Rafał Korpik (bass) Diakonissa – Anna Lubańska (mezzo-soprano)

Conductor: Jacek Kaspszyk

Choir Director: Mariusz Otto ; Choir and Orchestra of the Poznań Opera; Poznań Cathedral Choir (Director: Rev. Szymon Bajon); Concert Host: Frederik Hanssen

Funded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as part of the Inspiring Culture 2025–2026 program.

Ticket sales: https://www.eventim.de/event/koenig-roger-szymanowskikaspszyk-philharmonie-berlin-20502841/