''The Haunted Manor'' () is an

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

in four acts composed by Polish composer

Stanisław Moniuszko Stanisław Moniuszko (; May 5 (17), 1819 – June 4, 1872) was a Polish composer, conductor, organist and pedagogue. He wrote many popular art songs and operas, including '' The Haunted Manor'' and '' Halka'', and his music is filled with patr ...

in 1861–1864. The

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

was written by . Despite being a

romance Romance may refer to: Common meanings * Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings ** Romantic orientation, the classification of the sex or gender with which a pers ...

and a comedy, it has strong Polish

patriotic Patriotism is the feeling of love, devotion, and a sense of attachment to one's country or state. This attachment can be a combination of different feelings for things such as the language of one's homeland, and its ethnic, cultural, politic ...

undertones, which made it both popular with the Polish public and unpopular – to the point of being banned – by the Russian authorities of

Congress Poland Congress Poland or Congress Kingdom of Poland, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland, was a polity created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna as a semi-autonomous Polish state, a successor to Napoleon's Duchy of Warsaw. It was established w ...

. It is considered Moniuszko's best opera and the greatest 19th-century Polish opera score. However, it is mostly unknown outside Poland.

Background and reception

The story represents both an idyllic view of life in a Polish country manor house, and at the same time an idealistic preoccupation with the

duties of the soldier, the military virtues of courage, bravery, and readiness to take up arms against any enemy of the nation, and the importance of family honor. It presents in its opening scenes the obvious conflict between those patriotic aspirations on the one hand, and every man's desire for a quiet home life, love and marriage, on the other. The opera is one of the most popular opera scores in Poland, praised for its harmonies, construction of group scenes, instrumentation, dramatic style, integration of Polish songs and dances (

mazurka The Mazurka ( Polish: ''mazurek'') is a Polish musical form based on stylised folk dances in triple meter, usually at a lively tempo, with character defined mostly by the prominent mazur's "strong accents unsystematically placed on the seco ...

polonaise The polonaise (, ; , ) is a dance originating in Poland, and one of the five Polish folk dances#National Dances, Polish national dances in Triple metre, time. The original Polish-language name of the dance is ''chodzony'' (), denoting a walki ...

varsovienne The Varsoviana is both a couple dance and a melody. Whilst originally conceived as a mazurka (with it’s characteristic time and accent on the 2nd or 3rd bar) it is now regularly mislabeled as a waltz (even being known as The Waltz of Vienna) ...

polka Polka is a dance style and genre of dance music in originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though generally associated with Czech and Central European culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the ...

s and

krakowiak The Krakowiak or Cracovienne is a fast, syncopated Polish folk dance in duple time from the region of Kraków and Lesser Poland. The folk outfit worn for the dance has become the national costume of Poland, most notably, the rogatywka peaked hat ...

s), and Polish atmosphere.

Performance history

''The Haunted Manor'' was first performed in

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

's Grand Theatre, on 28 September 1865, and received only two more performances before being banned by the tsarist authorities of

. The Polish patriotic undertones of this piece were deemed dangerous, particularly as the

January Uprising The January Uprising was an insurrection principally in Russia's Kingdom of Poland that was aimed at putting an end to Russian occupation of part of Poland and regaining independence. It began on 22 January 1863 and continued until the last i ...

had ended only two and a half years earlier. Moniuszko lived until 1872 but the opera, considered his best and most original, was never performed again in his lifetime. An

English language English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...

version of ''The Haunted Manor'' was created in 1970 by translator Dr. George Conrad working with opera singer and singing teacher Mollie Petrie. The world premiere of this English version was given by the

University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a public university, public research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Merchant Venturers' school founded in 1595 and University College, Br ...

Operatic Society in 1970, which caused some excitement in the

Polish expatriate community in England British Poles, alternatively known as Polish British people or Polish Britons, are ethnic Polish people, Poles who are citizens of the United Kingdom. The term includes people born in the UK who are of Polish descent and Polish-born people wh ...

. Many Polish émigrés travelled to

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

to attend the

amateur An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, autodidacticism, self-taught, user-generated, do it yourself, DI ...

production by university students. That English version has been performed a number of times in England since 1970, including in a
acclaimed
production b
Opera South (formerly Opera Omnibus)
in February 2001. In October 1982, Michigan Opera Theater in Detroit under the leadership of founder David DiChiera mounted what was proclaimed the American premiere of the opera under the title of ''The Haunted Castle'' with the support of the local Polish community. The translation was by Sally Williams-Haik, whose husband, Wojciech Haik, directed; the production was conducted by Jacek Kasprzy

In April 2009, a new English translation by Donald Pippin, funded by the

National Endowment of the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the feder ...

, was presented by

Pocket Opera Pocket Opera is a professional chamber opera company based in San Francisco, California that presents staged chamber productions of operas sung in English. The company, founded in 1978, offers performances of both famous and lesser-known selection ...

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

Roles

Synopsis

Act I

The two brothers Stefan and Zbigniew and their servant Maciej are returning home from war. While enjoying a parting drink with their comrades, the brothers swear to remain single and to live in a household free of women, in order to be ready to lay down their lives for their country when needed. "For if I married a lovely woman, how could I leave her to go to war?" On arriving at the family home, the brothers are given the traditional welcoming offering of bread and salt, and they look forward to a life of peace and tranquillity. Their dream is soon shattered by the arrival of their aunt Cześnikowa, who immediately unveils her plans to marry them off to two girls she has chosen for them. The brothers explain their vow, and inform her that they are off to visit an old friend of their father's, Miecznik, (the "sword bearer") to collect money due to them. Miecznik lives in a manor at Kalinowa, and he has two daughters with whom Cześnikowa is sure the brothers will fall in love, contrary to her own plans. She tries to put them off their visit by telling them that the manor is haunted.

Act II

It is New Year's Eve and, inside the "haunted" manor, Miecznik's daughters Hanna and Jadwiga are preparing for the customary fortune-telling to determine who will be their future husbands. Wax is melted, and they see the shapes of soldiers' helmets, pikes and chargers. Hanna is being courted by a foppish barrister, Damazy, who insists that he can see his wig and tail coat in the wax. Miecznik looks on indulgently and then explains to the assembled crowd that the type of husband he seeks for his daughters is brave, a soldier and a patriot, mindful of customs and traditions – a description that Damazy does not measure up to. Cześnikowa arrives in advance of Stefan and Zbigniew, with the intention of portraying them as cowards in order to put Miecznik and his daughters off. At that moment, a hunting party led by Skołuba bursts in, and a heated debate concerning the killing of a boar ensues. Skołuba is adamant that he killed it, but it transpires that two strangers and their servant were seen at the time of the shooting and that one of the strangers actually shot the boar. Stefan and Zbigniew arrive with Maciej, and the two sisters decide to test out what Cześnikowa has told them by playing a trick on the brothers. Damazy, anxious to eliminate his potential rivals, has the same idea and involves Skołuba, who had hoped to take credit for killing the boar and now resents the brothers' presence, in his plan.

Act III

It is night. The visitors retire to bed, the brothers in one room and Maciej in another, where Skołuba points out two life-size portraits of fine ladies, and a clock, all of which have magic properties. In an aria with a splendid triple-time melody, he successfully manages to scare Maciej out of his wits, and then he leaves him alone. Stefan and Zbigniew arrive and merely laugh at Maciej's superstitious fears. Zbigniew takes Maciej off to sleep, leaving Stefan alone. The clock mysteriously chimes and Stefan is reminded of his mother. Zbigniew, unable to sleep, joins him and the brothers admit to each other that they have fallen in love with Hanna and Jadwiga, despite their vows. They are completely unaware that the two girls are hiding behind the portraits, and that Damazy is in the clock. They decide to investigate the source of the strange sounds they hear. Damazy comes out from his hiding place and, to save his skin, invents a story (told to another fine tune) that the house is known as the 'Haunted Manor' as a result of it having been built with the proceeds of some infamous acts. The rather moralistic brothers decide they cannot stay, and make plans to leave straight away.

Act IV

Discovering the boys about to leave, Miecznik believes them to be cowards after all; but Maciej repeats Damazy's story. Miecznik is about to reveal the truth about his house when a party of revellers and dancers burst into the house, one of whom is Damazy in disguise. When confronted, Damazy explains that he is in love with Hanna, and leaves hurriedly. Miecznik then explains that his great-grandfather had nine beautiful daughters and that every man who came to the manor would propose to one of them. Envious mothers with unmarried daughters who lived nearby grew to refer to the manor as "haunted" as it obviously had magic powers. Stefan and Zbigniew apologise for their suspicions, and declare their love for Hanna and Jadwiga. Miecznik gives his blessing to weddings between his daughters and the brothers. Everyone is happy – except for the schemers Cześnikowa, Damazy, and Skołuba.

Recordings

*1953-54 Marian Woźniczko (Miecznik),

Barbara Kostrzewska Barbara Kostrzewska (21 October 1915 in Jodłowa – 14 November 1986 in Warsaw) was a Polish singer and theater director. She performed from late 1930s until after the war, when she became involved in managing several theaters. During World Wa ...

(Hanna), Felicja Kurowiak (Jadwiga), Radzisław Peter (Damazy), Bogdan Paprocki (Stefan), Edmund Kossowski (Zbigniew), Antonina Kawecka (Cześnikowa), Zygmunt Mariański (Maciej), Henryk Łukaszek (Skołuba); Poznań State Moniuszko Chorus & Orchestra; Walerian Bierdiajew, conductor. CD: Naxos/Cat: 8.111391-2 *1965 Andrzej Hiolski (Miecznik), Halina Słonicka (Hanna), Krystyna Szczepańska (Jadwiga), Zdzisław Nikodem (Damazy), Bogdan Paprocki (Stefan), Edmund Kossowski (Zbigniew), Bożena Brun-Barańska (Cześnikowa), Bernard Ładysz (Skołuba); Choir & Orchestra of the Warsaw State Opera;

Witold Rowicki Witold Rowicki (born ''Witold Kałka'', 26 February 1914 – 1 October 1989) was a Polish conductor. He held principal conducting positions with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Witold Lutoslawski's Conc ...

, conductor. CD: Polskie Nagrania/Cat: PNCD 093 A-D (Highlights) *1978 Andrzej Hiolski (Miecznik), Bożena Betley-Sieradzka (Hanna), Wiera Baniewicz (Jadwiga), Zdzisław Nikodem (Damazy),

Wiesław Ochman Wiesław Ochman (; born 6 February 1937) is a Polish tenor. Life and career In 1960, he graduated from the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków, Poland. Ochman began learning voice under the direction of Gustaw Serafin in Kraków ...

(Stefan), Leonard Mróz (Zbigniew), Aleksandra Imalska (Cześnikowa), Florian Skulski (Maciej), Andrzej Saciuk (Skołuba); Choir & Orchestra of the Polish Radio and Television in Cracow; Jan Krenz, conductor. CD: Polskie Nagrania/Cat: PNCD 610 A-D *2001 Adam Kruszewski (Miecznik), Iwona Hossa (Hanna), Anna Lubańska (Jadwiga), Krzysztof Szmyt (Damazy), Dariusz Stachura (Stefan), Piotr Nowacki (Zbigniew),

Stefania Toczyska Stefania Toczyska (née Krzywińska), born in Grudziądz, Poland, on 19 February 1943, is a Polish mezzo-soprano of international repute. She lived in Toruń, where she attended the Music School ("little conservatory"). There, she married Romual ...

(Cześnikowa), Zbigniew Macias (Maciej), Romuald Tesarowicz (Skołuba); The Polish National Opera, Warsaw;

Jacek Kaspszyk Jacek Kaspszyk (born 10 August 1952) is a Polish music conductor and was the Music and Artistic Director of the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra from 2013 until the close of the 2018/2019 season. He made his U.S. debut conducting Moniuszko' ...

, conductor. CD: EMI Classics/Cat: PM 613 *2018 Leszek Skrla (Miecznik), Anna Fabrello (Hanna), Karolina Sikora (Jadwiga), Ryszard Minkiewicz (Damazy), Paweł Skałuba (Stefan), Stanisław Daniel Kotliński (Zbigniew),

(Cześnikowa), Krzysztof Bobrzecki (Maciej), Piotr Lempa (Skołuba); The Choirs & Symphony Orchestra of the Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk; Zygmunt Rychert, conductor. CD: Dux/Cat: DUX 1500/1501 *2019 Tomasz Konieczny (Miecznik),

Edyta Piasecka Edyta Piasecka, is a Polish soprano. She has been a resident artist at Opera Krakowska since 2002; a position she remains in as of 2024. Biography Edyta Piasecka was born in Kraków, Poland. She graduated from the Academy of Music in Kraków ...

(Hanna), Monika Ledzion-Porczyńska (Jadwiga), Karol Kozłowski (Damazy), Arnold Rutkowski (Stefan), Mariusz Godlewski (Zbigniew),

Małgorzata Walewska Małgorzata Walewska (born 5 July 1965) is a Polish opera singer, dramatic mezzo-soprano. Biography Education Born in Warsaw, Poland, Małgorzata Walewska graduated from the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music under the tutelage of Halina S ...

(Cześnikowa), Marcin Bronikowski (Maciej),

Rafał Siwek Rafał Siwek is a Polish opera singer (bass (voice type), bass). Education Rafał Siwek is a graduate of Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw (Professor Jerzy Knetig's class). He mastered his voice under the supervision of Kaludi Kalud ...

(Skołuba); Podlaskie Opera and Philharmonic Choir &

Orchestra of the 18th Century The Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century () is a Dutch early music orchestra. Frans Brüggen and Lucy van Dael co-founded the orchestra in 1981. Sieuwert Verster became financial manager in 1984. Although he did not have a formal title with the or ...

; Grzegorz Nowak, conductor. CD: Frederick Chopin Institute/Cat: NIFCCD084

Film

film adaptation A film adaptation transfers the details or story of an existing source text, such as a novel, into a feature film. This transfer can involve adapting most details of the source text closely, including characters or plot points, or the original sou ...

was directed by

Leonard Buczkowski Leonard Buczkowski (5 August 1900 – 19 February 1967) was a Polish film director and screenwriter. He directed 23 films between 1928 and 1966. His 1959 film ''The Eagle (1959 film), The Eagle'' was entered into the 1st Moscow International ...

in 1936.

References

*Amanda Holden with Nicholas Kenyon and Stephen Walsh (eds.), ''The Viking Opera Guide'',

Viking Press Viking Press (formally Viking Penguin, also listed as Viking Books) is an American publishing company owned by Penguin Random House. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheimer and then acqu ...

(1993) *The libretto/score of the English version by Dr. George Conrad

External links

Acts 1-2
an
3-4
of the opera's score, ed. Kazimierz Sikorski, published 1937 by Towarzystwo Wydawnicze Muzyki Polskiej (PDF format
1-2
[]
3-4
[])
Libretto
() of the opera. (This version differs slightly from the lyrics given in the score above, and the song "Hej! zagrajcie siarczyście..." on pp. 179-221 of the score's second volume is entirely missing.)

''The New York Times'', Monday, 23 April 1986

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927035613/http://www.teatrwielki.pl/readme.php?book_id=1321&book_name=spektakle_straszny_dwor&nlang=en ''The Haunted Manor'' Stanisław Moniuszko in Polish Opera Narodowa]
Music and Vision review
of the 2001 English production including discussion of the opera
Magazynplus review 2007"The Haunted Manor" the whole opera record from Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa in Warsaw 19-NOV-2015
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haunted Manor, The Operas by Stanisław Moniuszko Polish-language operas Operas set in Poland Operas 1865 operas Operas adapted into films Works set in Łódź Voivodeship