Forest Opera

The Forest Opera (Polish: Opera Leśna, German: Die Waldoper) is a large, open-air amphitheatre located in Sopot, Poland, with a capacity of 4400 seats, the large orchestra pit can contain up to 110 musicians.

Built in 1909, the amphitheatre is used for various entertainment events and shows, including opera performances and song festivals. After World War I and almost till end of World War II it was a place of famous operatic festivals of high artistic rank (Zoppot Festspiele) and Sopot was recognized throughout Europe and frequently labelled as the Bayreuth of the North. Here then mostly Wagnerian operas and his music dramas were performed regularly each year.

After World War II the Baltic State Opera performed at the Forest Opera few performances each year between 1962 and 1977 (Aida in 1962, Halka in 1964, Der Zigeunerbaron in 1965, Swan Lake in 1968, Die Fledermaus in 1977), and sporadically outside this range (Tannhäuser in 2000).

Each year, starting from 1964 (with some interruption in early 1980s), the Sopot International Song Festival takes place at the Forest Opera, events being organized by the Ministry of Culture and Art in cooperation with the Polish Artistic Agency (PAGART). It was the most prestigious music event in the Eastern Europe, transmitted then to the eastern block countries via Polish television. Starting from 1994 Polish Television Public Company became the producer of that festival.

Among some of the most famous ensambles, on June 28, 2001, the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra under James Levine gave a concert at the Forest Opera.

An attempt is made to reactivate once famous Sopot Wagner Festivals on the 100th anniversary of the Forest Opera's creation (July 20, 2009), with the special event of a single concert performance of Das Rheingold (first time since the end of 1930s). Announced intention of the organizers is staging the remaining parts of Der Ring des Nibelungen in Sopot (including some of them in the Forest Opera) within the next few years.

Starting from the fall of 2009 Sopot Forest Opera is under extensive renovation and modernization which, according to estimates, will take till end of 2010 to complete.

History of performances in Zoppot Festspiele

  • 1921 Fidelio
  • 1922 Siegfried
  • 1924 Die Walküre
  • 1925 Tannhäuser
  • 1926 Lohengrin
  • 1927 Götterdämmerung
  • 1928 Parsifal
  • 1929 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
  • 1931 Der Ring des Nibelungen (the cycle without Das Rheingold)
  • 1932 Lohengrin
  • 1933 Tannhäuser
  • 1934 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Die Walküre
  • 1935 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Rienzi
  • 1936 Parsifal and Rienzi
  • 1937 Parsifal and Lohengrin
  • 1938 Lohengrin and Der Ring des Nibelungen (whole cycle)
  • 1939 Tannhäuser and Der Ring des Nibelungen (whole cycle)
  • 1940 Tannhäuser and Der Fliegende Holländer
  • 1941 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
  • 1942 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Siegfried
  • 1944 Siegfried

Sources

The Bayreuth of the North by Einhard Luther, in Opera (Autumn, 1966), 7.

References

External links

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Tom Tom
24 August 2014
Sounds perfect. Go to hear it.
Inga Gilė
5 September 2014
Fantastic place
Arek Dudkowski
5 August 2013
Nowy dach rzadzi :)
Adam Głuszkowski
2 August 2012
Opera Leśna po remoncie budzi respekt. Jest większa, bardziej funkcjonalna, drewniane krzesełka nie trzaskają przy składaniu, no i pachnie nowością :)
Justyna Łukasik
25 August 2012
Po remoncie Opera lśni i oczarowuje :)
Wojtek Bartosik
10 November 2013
Bezpłatne zwiedzanie w okresie listopad-marzec.
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Stanisława Moniuszki 12, Sopot, Poland Get directions
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Sat 11:00 AM–10:00 PM
Sun Noon–1:00 PM
Mon 9:00 AM–10:00 AM
Tue 9:00 AM–1:00 PM
Wed 9:00 AM–2:00 PM

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