Performers:
Capella Bydgostiensis Chamber Orchestra
Stefan Plewniak, conductor, violin
Natalia Kawałek, soprano
Meili Li, countertenor
Aleksander Laskowski, host

Program:
arias and instrumental excerpts from works by D. Cimarosa, B. Galuppi,
J.A. Hass, V. Rauzzini, F. Uttini, and G. Piazza

Eighteenth-century music was an art of emotion, virtuosity, and the beauty of the human voice. It was then that opera rose to become Europe’s most important musical genre, and composers created works that delighted audiences from Naples to Vienna and Stockholm. The concert “The Opera Mirror of the 18th Century” invites you to discover the fascinating world of early opera through arias and instrumental pieces by composers whose works shaped the musical landscape of their era.

Forgotten Gems of the Opera Stage
The concert program features arias and instrumental excerpts from works by Domenico Cimarosa, Baldassare Galuppi, Johann Adolph Hasse, Venanzio Rauzzini, Francesco Uttini, and Giuseppe Piazza. Although their names do not appear on posters as often today as those of Mozart or Handel, in the 18th century they were highly regarded composers on Europe’s most important opera stages.

Their music captivates with its elegance, lightness, and extraordinary expressiveness, revealing the richness of the operatic world from three hundred years ago.

Stefan Plewniak and Capella Bydgostiensis
Stefan Plewniak—violinist, conductor, and one of Poland’s foremost specialists in period performance—will guide the audience through this repertoire. His interpretations are renowned for their authenticity, energy, and freshness, thanks to which the music of bygone eras speaks to contemporary listeners with extraordinary power.

He will be joined by the Capella Bydgostiensis Chamber Orchestra, long acclaimed for its versatility and high artistic standards.

Natalia Kawałek – a master of opera
The mezzo-soprano role will be performed by Natalia Kawałek, an artist associated with Europe’s most important opera houses. She studied in Warsaw, Rome, and Vienna, winning awards at prestigious vocal competitions in Innsbruck and Vienna. She has performed at venues including the Theater an der Wien, the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, the Bolshoi Theater, and the Grand Theater – National Opera.

Audiences have admired her in roles such as Carmen, Cherubino, Dido, Halka, and Olga in *Eugene Onegin*. She has collaborated with outstanding conductors and singers, including Plácido Domingo, and Baroque and Classical music performed in accordance with historical performance practice holds a special place in her career.

Meili Li – a world-renowned countertenor
Joining Natalia Kawałek will be Meili Li, one of the most intriguing countertenors of his generation and the first artist of this voice type from China to gain international recognition. Based in London, the singer is a laureate of the prestigious London Handel Festival awards and a collaborator with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

His career has taken him to Europe’s most important stages and festivals. He has performed at venues including the Royal Opera House, the Opéra Royal de Versailles, the Bayerische Staatsoper, and the Hamburg State Opera, as well as on stages in Ireland, Germany, France, and Australia. He has also given recitals in such renowned venues as Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw, the Barbican Centre, and the Salle Gaveau.

Baroque and Classical music hold a special place in Meili Li’s repertoire. Her interpretations are prized for their extraordinary tonal refinement, musical intelligence, and ability to blend the European performance tradition with her own unique artistic sensibility.

An encounter with opera at its most beautiful
“The Opera Mirror of the 18th Century” will not only be a journey to the golden age of opera but also an encounter with artists who rank among the most outstanding interpreters of this repertoire. This is a unique opportunity to hear rarely performed works by musicians who, on a daily basis, help shape the most important early music events in Europe.

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64. Bydgoski Festiwal Muzyczny - Operowe zwierciadło XVIII wieku

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