FULL Czorsztyn Castle (Karol Kurpiński) Tarnów 2025 Karolina Szymańska, Ernest Tymczyszyn, Estera Wityńska
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Czorsztyn Castle or Zamek na Czorsztynie or Bojomir and Wanda
- Composer: Kurpiński Karol
- Libretto: Józef Wawrzyniec Krasiński Libretto Text, Libretto Index
- Venue & Opera Company: Art Center Mościce, Tarnów, Poland
- Recorded: April 7, 2025
- Type: Staged Opera Live
- Singers: Karolina Szymańska, Ernest Tymczyszyn, Estera Wityńska, Antoni Olszewski, Witold Żołądkiewicz
- Conductor: Marcin Piotr Łopacki
- Orchestra: Rondine Orchestra
- Stage Director: Ryszard Cieśla
- Stage Designer: Ryszard Cieśla
- Costume Designer:
Information about the Recording
- Published by: CCCP: Composer, Conductor, Coaching Pianist
- Date Published: 2025
- Format: Streaming
- Quality Video: 3 Audio:3
- Subtitles: nosubs
- Video Recording from: YouTube FULL VIDEO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
THE STORY OF THE OPERA
Dobrosław of Czorsztyn, owner of the castle (bass-baritone); Bojomir of Buczacz, a young knight returning from battle against the Turks outside Vienna (tenor); Wanda, Dobrosław’s daughter (soprano); Łucja, Wanda’s confidante (mezzo-soprano); Nikita, a peasant from just over the border in Hungary (bass-baritone).
The action takes place in Czorsztyn Castle, in one of the great ceremonial halls, decorated in the style of the day. At one side of the stage there is a huge, antique sofa; in front of it there is a table with a tapestry tablecloth and several large chairs scattered around it.3
Act I
Returning from his expedition to Turkey on a rainy and stormy night, Bojomir loses his way in a dark forest. He is accompanied by the cowardly Nikita – an inhabitant of one of the local villages. They cannot find anywhere to shelter from the rain. Suddenly Bojomir sees a light and decides to make his way towards it in the hope of finding somewhere to stay for the night. When they reach Czorsztyn Castle, however, it seems to be uninhabited. Nikita doesn’t want the knight to go in and warns him about the castle (no. 1, duet, Oh, oh, terrible fears take hold of a man… [Aj, aj, okropne strachy zdejmują człeka…]). Unconcerned by these tales, Bojomir is still keen to enter the castle. Nikita continues to try and talk him out of it, listing the terrors that might await him in the castle (no. 2, aria, Consider these terrors, these horrors… [Zważ pan, te strachy, te sromy…]). They enter and find a convenient chamber, and then Łucja appears (no. 3, tercet, Such beautiful eyes, so full of life… [Oczy tak piękne, tak żywe…]). Bojomir asks her who owns the castle and if they can spend the night there. When she discovers the knight’s name, the maidservant demands that they leave the castle. Unmoved by her protestations, the knight orders her to tell the owner that he wants to speak to him. When Dobrosław, the lord of the local area, arrives, he apologises to the guests for the inhospitality and explains the difficult situation that has forced him to live alone in the castle. He also asks Bojomir if he belongs to the same Buczacki family as a friend of his. Bojomir confirms that he is indeed the son of Dobrosław’s friend (no. 4, Way back, under King Michał… [Jeszcze za króla Michała…]). Dobrosław invites him to dine, leaving Łucja and Nikita in the chamber. Nikita is still convinced that they are actually dealing with ghosts, and does not want to be left alone with the woman. Eventually Łucja puts a stop to this and takes him to dinner (no. 5, duet, Be of good cheer, be of good cheer [Bądź dobrej myśli, bądź dobrej myśli]).
Act II
After dinner Bojomir returns to the chamber. He is exercised by the story of the secrets that the castle hides. He begins to suspect something, remembering his beloved Wanda, whom he was unable to marry because her father did not give his consent (no. 6, dumka, Cruel fate’s decrees [Srogie losu przeznaczenie…]). Buoyed up by his inherited fortune, he decides to find Wanda, with whom he had lost contact. When Łucja appears, she invites the unexpected guests to another chamber. She confirms that the chamber they are currently in is haunted. Bojomir is not afraid of ghosts (no. 7, A soldier requires little… [Dla żolnierza mało trzeba…]) and insists that he will stay right where he is for the night. Nikita is terrified and hides in a corner, admitting to his cowardice and regretting that he entered the castle with Bojomir (no. 8, I did well, to be frank… [Dobrzem zrobił, powiem szcerze…]). In the night, the sound of singing starts up (no. 9, Meanwhile, the leaves here are withering [Tymczasem listki wkoło więdnieją]). Nikita, petrified, wants to hide from the singing ‘ghost’ (no. 10, cavatina, Where the little alder tree stands [Gdzie ta olszynka, tam mimo woli]). Bojomir wakes up. He identifies the mysterious figure as his beloved Wanda (melodrama). All the members of the household gather together (no. 11, quartet, Oh God of the wretched [O Boże nieszczęsnych]). Having laid eyes upon Bojomir, Wanda regains consciousness and returns to health. Dobrosław explains that he moved to this uninhabited area as a result of Wanda’s madness, which came about after she lost her beloved. There is, of course, a happy ending, brought about by the marriage of the two lovers (no. 12, chorus What a moment, what joy… [Co za chwila, o radości]).