Theatre of the Warszawska Opera Kameralna
Antonio Vivaldi
Judith triumphant
over the barbarians of Holofernes
Libretto | Giacomo Cassetti
Creative team
Staging and direction | Maria Sartova
Music director | Hugo Reyne
Set design and animation | Damian Styrna
Costumes | Anna Chadaj
Choreography | Emil Wesołowski
Lighting director: | Paulina Góral
Multimedia | Eliasz Styrna
Cast
Judith | Aleksandra Opała
Holofernes | Michal Marchold
Vagaus | Małgorzata Panek
Abra | Joanna Moskowicz
Ozias | Orysia Guga
Dancers
Patryk Rybarski, Anna Pacocha, Zyta Bujacz-Dziel, Sebastian Piotrowicz,
Natalia Jóźwiak, Katarzyna Gocał, Jakub Jóźwiak, Dominik Skorek
The Choir of the Warsaw Chamber Opera
Chorus Master | Krzysztof Kusiel-Moroz
Period Instrument Orchestra of the Warsaw Chamber Opera
Musicae Antiquae Collegium Varsoviense (MACV)
Conductor | Christopher Moulds
The Assyrian army lays siege to the Israelite city of Bethulia. The city defends itself bravely, although its fall seems inevitable. Judith—a beautiful Jewish widow—makes her way into the enemy camp. She seduces Holofernes, the commander of the invading forces, and when he falls asleep, she cuts off his head. The enemy is humiliated and defeated.
When Antonio Vivaldi set out in 1716 to give musical expression to the story of the fearless Judith, the Venetian Republic was itself at war, defending against the superior forces of the Ottoman Empire. In his oratorio, the composer presented the conflict in allegorical form: the biblical Judith represented the Republic of Venice, while Holofernes symbolized the weakening Ottoman Turks.
Vivaldi’s choice of the oratorio genre was far from accidental. Its rich orchestration provided the ideal vehicle for showcasing the extraordinary talents of the Ospedale della Pietà, the renowned girls’ orchestra under the composer’s direction.
An accomplished opera composer, Vivaldi also made full use of the dramatic potential inherent in the story of this courageous heroine. As a result, Juditha Triumphans combines sumptuous orchestration with vivid storytelling and the emotional breadth characteristic of opera.
The production is musically and theatrically outstanding—a further triumph for the Warsaw Chamber Opera, which has become the first company in Poland to stage this oratorio as a fully theatrical production.
The Warsaw Chamber Opera’s Early Music Orchestra (MACV) performed magnificently under the baton of Belgian conductor and musicologist Hugo Reyne, a specialist in early music. The performance featured powerful climactic moments, particularly in scenes of heightened dramatic tension, alongside passages of lyrical despair reflecting Judith’s inner conflict […]
Aleksandra Opała delivered a superb portrayal of the title role, her dark, beautiful mezzo-soprano enveloping the music in velvety shades of sorrow and determination, supported by a rich, expertly produced lower register. Joanna Moskowicz dazzled as the cunning Abra, displaying venomous coloratura and remarkable vocal ease. In this production, it is she who emerges as the true driving force of the drama. She covers the eyes of Ozias and Judith during the final execution of Vagaus. On stage, Moskowicz was captivating—sweet, deceitful, resolute, and willing to do whatever was necessary to achieve her goal. It was also an outstanding dramatic performance.
For me, the revelation of the evening was Georgian mezzo-soprano Nino Jachvadze as Vagaus, Holofernes’ servant. Her singing combined remarkable precision with thrilling vocal abandon. The role is exceptionally demanding, yet she demonstrated impressive technical versatility while illuminating its dramatic coloratura with striking expressive power. Ozias, a mysterious figure who appears only twice in the opera, is nevertheless the most important character in the besieged city of Bethulia. Jadwiga Postrożna gave a monumental interpretation of the role, shaping long lyrical phrases with profound sorrow, dramatic intensity, and an impeccable sense of style. Finally, there was Holofernes. Although Vivaldi’s score assigns all vocal parts to female singers, the director cast a man in the role. Baritone Kamil Pękala sang with commanding authority and powerful projection, fearlessly portraying his character as a repellent figure devoid of humanity and compassion.
The production’s striking visual beauty is the achievement of Damian Styrna (set design and animation concepts), Anna Chadaj (costume design), Eliasz Styrna (multimedia), and Paulina Góral (lighting design). Equally compelling is Emil Wesołowski’s choreography, in which the dancers seamlessly merge with the members of the chorus.