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{{Short description|Opera by Karol Szymanowski}}
{{Infobox opera
| name              = King Roger<br /><small>Król Roger</small>
| composer          = [[Karol Szymanowski]]
| native_name       = 
| native_name_lang  = pl
| image             = Roger II Sicily.jpg
| caption           = King [[Roger II of Sicily]], from ''{{Lang|la|[[Liber ad honorem Augusti]]}}'', 1196
| other_name        =
| librettist        = [[Karol Szymanowski]]<br />[[Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz]]
| language          = Polish
| based_on          =
| premiere_date     = {{Start date|1926|06|19|df=y}}
| premiere_location = [[Grand Theatre, Warsaw]]
}}
'''''King Roger''''' ({{langx|pl|'''Król Roger'''|link=no}}, [[Opus number|Op.]] 46) is an [[opera]] in three acts by [[Karol Szymanowski]] to a Polish [[libretto]] by the composer himself and [[Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz]], the composer's cousin. The score was finished in 1924. The opera received its world premiere on 19 June 1926 at the [[Grand Theatre, Warsaw]], with the cast including the composer's sister, the [[soprano]] Stanisława Korwin-Szymanowska, as Roxana.

The "Sicilian drama", as he called it,<ref name=KSz>[http://www.karolszymanowski.pl/watch-listen/stage/king-roger-op-46-1918-1924/ ''King Roger'', Op. 46 (1918–1924)], karolszymanowski.pl</ref> originated from Szymanowski's enthusiasm for [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] culture as a melting pot of different peoples and religions. He spent much time travelling in that area in 1911 and in 1914, and shared his love of the region with Iwaszkiewicz. In the summer of 1918 at [[Odessa]], Szymanowski and Iwaszkiewicz conceived the project, and composed the opera over the period of 1918 to 1924. Szymanowski's lost [[novel]] ''[[Efebos]]'' dealt with [[mysticism|mystical]] themes similar to those that inspired this work;<ref>Stephen C Downes, "Narcissus, the Siren and Dionysus: Calls of Seduction in ''King Roger''", ''Szymanowski, Eroticism and the Voices of Mythology'', Royal Musical Association (2003), p. 54 {{ISBN|0-947854-10-X}}</ref> Szymanowski labelled it a "Misterium".<ref name=KSz />

Jim Samson has placed ''King Roger'' in a musico-[[psychology|psychological]] analysis of Szymanowski's compositional struggles.<ref>{{cite journal | jstor=765927 | last=Samson | first=Jim | title=Szymanowski: An Interior Landscape | journal=Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association | volume=106 | pages=69–76 | date=1979–1980 | doi=10.1093/jrma/106.1.69}}</ref> Alistair Wightman has briefly discussed Szymanowski's stylised treatment of [[Arabic music]]al idioms in the score.<ref>{{cite journal|jstor=765927|last=Wightman|first=Alastair|title=Szymanowski and Islam|journal=[[The Musical Times]]|volume=128|issue=1729|pages=129–132|date=March 1987|doi=10.2307/964492}}</ref> Stephen Downes has analysed in detail the themes of "duality" and "transformation" expressed in the music of the opera.<ref>{{cite journal|jstor=854015|last=Wightman|first=Alastair|title=Themes of Duality and Transformation in Szymanowski's ''King Roger''|journal=[[Music Analysis (journal)|Music Analysis]]|volume=14|issue=2/3|pages=257–291|date=July–October 1995|doi=10.2307/854015}}</ref>

==Performance history==
Since its 1926 premiere, stagings of ''King Roger'' have been relatively rare. Two productions followed closely, the first at [[Theater Duisburg]], Germany, in October 1928, and the second in October 1932 at the [[Národní divadlo]] in Prague. The first post-World War II presentation took place in [[Palermo]] in 1949 in the presence of its librettist, conducted by {{ill|Mieczysław Mierzejewski|pl}}, set design by [[Renato Guttuso]], {{ill|Giovanni Inghilleri|it}} sang Roger, [[Clara Petrella]] sang Roxana, {{ill|Antonio Annaloro|it}} the Shepherd. After that some years passed before the opera was staged again.

In 1975, the [[New Opera Company]] in London produced the work under the baton of [[Charles Mackerras]]. In the USA the opera was first seen in 1981, in a concert version given by the [[St. Louis Symphony]] in St. Louis, conducted by [[Leonard Slatkin]]. That same year it was presented at the [[Teatro Colón]] in Buenos Aires, conducted by [[Stanisław Wisłocki]].  In August 1982, a concert performance was given at Wolf Trap Farm Park in the temporary tent structure that stood in for the Filene Center, which had been destroyed by fire in April.  Featuring [[Allan Monk]] in the title role and [[Richard Cassilly]] as the Shepherd and conducted by then Music Director [[Richard Woitach]], it also featured young artists from the Wolf Trap Opera company.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/12/arts/music-king-roger-by-szymanowski.html</ref>

Since the late 1980s and into the present century, ''King Roger'' seems to have enjoyed something of a revival with about thirteen productions in many different locations. In 1988, the [[Long Beach Opera]] in California, known for its innovative approach to the repertoire, had [[Murry Sidlin]] as conductor and James Johnson as King Roger, [[Nancy Shade]] as Roxana, and Jonathan Mack as Edrisi.<ref>{{cite news|author=Will Crutchfield|author-link=Will Crutchfield|title=Szymanowski's ''King Roger'' in California|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE5D71431F935A15752C0A96E948260|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=26 January 1988|access-date=23 March 2012}}</ref> A concert performance was given on 3 March 1990 at the Royal Festival Hall by the [[BBC Symphony Orchestra]] and Chorus conducted by [[Andrew Davis (conductor)|Andrew Davis]]. This was the opening concert of a festival of Szymanowski's works given by the South Bank Arts Centre. David Wilson-Johnson took the title role, with Wieslaw Ochman as the Shepherd, [[Eilene Hannan]] as Roxana, [[Martyn Hill]] as Edrisi, [[Matthew Best (conductor)|Matthew Best]] as the Archbishop and Anne Collins as the Archdeaconess.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/radio3/1990-03-03|title=BBC Radio 3 – 3 March 1990 – BBC Genome|work=bbc.co.uk|access-date=8 August 2015}}</ref> [[Sydney Dance Company]] used the opera as a recorded soundtrack for its ballet of King Roger in the [[Sydney Opera House]] in 1990. Palermo presented ''King Roger'' again in 1992. Four concert versions were given by the end of the 1990s: the first by [[Orchestre National de France]] in Paris, conducted by [[Charles Dutoit]] in 1996 and at the London [[The Proms|Proms]] by the [[City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra]] under [[Simon Rattle]] in 1998, while the third and fourth performances were presented in Montreal and subsequently, on 17 October 1999, at [[Carnegie Hall]] for the New York Premiere with Charles Dutoit and the [[Montreal Symphony Orchestra]].

In the 21st century, ''King Roger'' was given by the Polish National Opera in 2000 and in the same year also in Amsterdam by the Netherlands Opera, conducted by Hartmut Haenchen. In 2002, Charles Dutoit conducted the Japanese premiere of the work in a concert version with the [[NHK Symphony Orchestra]] in Tokyo, as well as in Prague with the Czech Philharmonic in 2007. The [[Mariinsky Opera]] Company brought the work to the [[Edinburgh Festival]] in 2008 under [[Valery Gergiev]] and directed by [[Mariusz Treliński]].<ref>{{cite news|author=George Loomis|title=An innovative, multinational staging of Szymanowski's ''King Roger''|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/arts/24iht-rusfest.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=2008-07-24|access-date=23 March 2012}}</ref>

It was presented in Palermo in 2005 and also by the [[Wrocław Opera]] in 2007. A subsequent US performance was at the [[Bard SummerScape]] festival in 2008.<ref>{{cite news | title=Bard SummerScape: A Chat with ''King Roger'' Director Lech Majewski | url=http://www.playbillarts.com/features/article/7710.html | work=Playbill Arts | date=21 July 2008 | access-date=23 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Philip Kennicott|author-link=Philip Kennicott|title=''King Roger'', A Confounding Object of Desire|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/28/AR2008072802857.html|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=29 July 2008|access-date=30 April 2012}}</ref>

Both the Gran Teatre del [[Liceu]] in Barcelona and the [[Opéra National de Paris]] in Paris, conducted by [[Kazushi Ono]] presented it in 2009. In 2011, ''King Roger'' appeared at the [[Staatstheater Mainz]]. A new production of the opera was staged in Polish at The [[Santa Fe Opera]] on 21 July 2012 with [[Mariusz Kwiecień]] in the title role.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130202100509/http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/072312Opera "Review: ''King Roger'' revealed at Santa Fe Opera"] by James M. Keller, ''[[The Santa Fe New Mexican]]'', 23 July 2012</ref><ref>[http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/article-6851-a-thorough-rogering.html "A Thorough Rogering: The Santa Fe Opera's ''King Roger'' stays focused"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915033353/http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/article-6851-a-thorough-rogering.html |date=2012-09-15 }} by John Stege, ''[[Santa Fe Reporter]]'', 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012</ref> In 2013, ''King Roger'' was presented at the 17th [[Festival Amazonas de Ópera]] in Manaus, Brazil, with {{ill|Marcin Bronikowski|pl}} in the title role. In June 2014, a new production was staged at the [[Wuppertal Opera House]] in Germany.<ref>[http://der-neue-merker.eu/wuppertal-krol-roger-von-karol-szymanowski-premiere "Wuppertal: ''Krol Roger'' von Karol Szymanowski. Premiere"] by Christoph Zimmermann, ''[[Der Neue Merker]]'', June 2014 {{in lang|de}}</ref> Two performances took place in Boston in March 2015 with the [[Boston Symphony Orchestra]] and Charles Dutoit. The [[Royal Opera House]], Covent Garden, introduced a new co-production with Opera Australia, conducted by [[Antonio Pappano]], in May 2015. The first performance in Australia was shown by [[Opera Australia]] in 2017 in Sydney and Melbourne, conducted by [[Andrea Molino]], with [[Saimir Pirgu]] as the Shepherd.<ref>[https://opera.org.au/whatson/events/king-roger-sydney ''King Roger''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726041021/https://opera.org.au/whatson/events/king-roger-sydney |date=2018-07-26 }}, production details, [[Opera Australia]]</ref>

==Roles==
{| class="wikitable"
!Role
![[Voice type]]
!Premiere, 19 June 1926<br />(Conductor: [[Emil Młynarski]])
|-
|[[Roger II of Sicily|Roger II]], ''King of Sicily''
|[[baritone]]
|{{ill|Eugeniusz Mossakowski|pl}}
|-
|Roxana, ''his wife''
|[[soprano]]
|Stanisława Korwin-Szymanowska
|-
|[[Muhammad al-Idrisi|Edrisi]], ''an Arab scholar''
|[[tenor]]
|Maurycy Janowski
|-
|Shepherd
|tenor
|Adam Dobosz
|-
|Archbishop
|[[bass (voice type)|bass]]
|Roman Wraga
|-
|Deaconess
|[[contralto]]
|Teodozja Skonieczna
|-
| colspan="3" |''Priests, monks, nuns, acolytes, courtiers, guards, eunuchs, Shepherd's disciples''
|-
|}

==Synopsis==
:Place: Sicily
:Time: 12th century
The story concerns the enlightenment of the [[Christians|Christian]] King Roger II by a young shepherd who represents [[paganism|pagan]] ideals.

===Act 1===
''Often known as the "[[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]]" act''

The Shepherd is introduced to King Roger and his [[royal court|court]] during [[mass (liturgy)|mass]] at the [[Palermo Cathedral]]. Despite calls by the Archbishop as well as the crowd for his punishment as a [[heresy|heretic]], Roxana, Roger's wife, convinces the King not to kill him. She implores him to pass a fair judgment on the Shepherd. Roger orders the young man to appear at the palace that night, where he will explain himself and submit to the King's judgement.

===Act 2===
''The "[[Orient]]al" act, representing [[India]] and the [[Middle East]]''

As instructed, the Shepherd appears at the palace gates. Roxana sings a seductive song which is clearly a response to the visitor, causing Roger to grow increasingly agitated. As the Shepherd is led in, he describes his faith in detail and soon almost the entire court joins him in an ecstatic [[dance]]. Roger attempts to chain him, but the Shepherd easily breaks free, and leaves the palace with almost all of those assembled following him. At first the King and his Arab advisor, Edrisi are left alone, but soon it is decided that Roger will join the Shepherd.

===Act 3===
''The "[[Greco-Roman]]" act''

In an [[Theatre of ancient Greece|ancient Greek theater]], King Roger and Edrisi rejoin Roxana, who informs her husband that only the Shepherd can free him of his fear and jealousy. A fire is lit, and the Shepherd's followers commence another dance, while the Shepherd is transformed into [[Dionysus]]. As the dance ends and the participants leave the stage, Roger is left transformed by the experience, and sings a joyous [[hymn]] at the arrival of the morning sun.

==Recordings==
{|class="wikitable"
!Year
!Cast:<br />(King Roger,<br />Roxana,<br />Edrissi,<br />Shepherd)
!Conductor,<br />Opera house and orchestra
!Label
|-
|1965<br />& 1988
|Andrzej Hiolski,<br />Hanna Rumowska,<br />Kazimierz Pustelak,<br />Zdzisław Nikodem
|Mieczysław Mierzejewski,<br /> Polish National Opera Orchestra and Chorus and Youth Choir : Grand Theatre – National Opera Warszawa
|AAC: Polskie Nagrania 1965,<br />Cat: 0250/1;<br />Olympia 1988,<br />Cat: OCD 303
|-
|1990
|Andrzej Hiolski,<br />Barbara Zagórzanka,<br />[[Wiesław Ochman]],<br />Henryk Grychnik
|[[Karol Stryja]],<br />Polish State Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus and the Cracow Philharmonic Boys' Choir
|CD: Marco Polo,<br />Cat: 223339;<br />Naxos,<br />Cat: 8660062-63
|-
|1992
|Florian Skulski,<br />Barbara Zagórzanka,<br />Stanisław Kowalski,<br />Zdzisław Nikodem
|[[Robert Satanowski]],<br />Polish National Opera Orchestra and Chorus and Youth Choir : Grand Theatre – National Opera Warszawa
|CD: Koch-Schwann,<br />Cat: 314 014 K2
|-
|1998
|[[Thomas Hampson]],<br />[[Elżbieta Szmytka]],<br />Ryszard Minkiewicz,<br />[[Philip Langridge]]
|[[Simon Rattle]],<br />[[City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra]] and Chorus, plus City of Birmingham Symphony Youth Chorus
|CD: EMI<br />Cat: 56823 and Cat: 14576
|-
|2003||[[Wojtek Drabowicz]],<br />[[Olga Pasichnyk]],<br />[[Piotr Beczała]],<br />Krzysztof Szmyt
|[[Jacek Kaspszyk]],<br />Polish National Opera Orchestra and Chorus and All Polacca Youth Choir<br />(Live recording of a broadcast at the Teatr Wielki, Warsaw, January)
|CD: Accord<br />Cat: ACD 131–2
|-
|2007
|[[Andrzej Dobber]],<br />Aleksandra Buczek,<br />Rafal Majzner,<br />Pavlo Tolstoy
|[[Ewa Michnik]],<br />Wroclaw Opera Orchestra and Choir and Angelus Chamber Choir
|DVD: Narodowy Instytut Audiowizualny<br />Cat: 5908259554143 (PAL version only)
|-
|2009
|[[Mariusz Kwiecień]],<br />[[Olga Pasichnyk]],<br />[[Štefan Margita]]<br />Eric Cutler
|[[Kazushi Ono]],<br />[[Orchestre de l'Opéra national de Paris]]
|DVD: Bel Air Media<ref>{{IMDb title|qid=Q123901211|title=Le roi Roger|description=(2009)}}</ref>
|-
|2009
|Scott Hendricks,<br />[[Olga Pasichnyk]],<br />John Graham-Hall,<br />Willy Hartmann
|[[Mark Elder]],<br />[[Vienna Symphony]] and the Polish Radio Choir, Kraków, plus the Children's Chorus of Musikhauptschule Bregenz
|DVD: C-Major<br />Cat: 702808 (NTTC)
|-
|2015
|[[Mariusz Kwiecień]],<br />Georgia Jarman,<br />Kim Begley,<br />[[Saimir Pirgu]]
|[[Antonio Pappano]],<br />Royal Opera Chorus, Orchestra of the [[Royal Opera House]]
|DVD: Opus Arte<br />Cat: 8011613
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* [[George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood|Earl of Harewood]] (Ed.), "''King Roger''", ''Kobbé's Complete Opera Book''. Putnam: London and New York, 1954, pp.&nbsp;1594–98
* [[Amanda Holden (writer)|Holden, Amanda]] (Ed.), "Karol Szymanowski", ''The New Penguin Opera Guide'', New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001. {{ISBN|0-14-029312-4}}

==External links==
* {{IMSLP|work=King Roger, Op.46 (Szymanowski, Karol)|cname=''King Roger''}}
* [http://trubadur.pl/biblioteka-trubadura/krol-roger Libretto (in Polish)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231213308/http://trubadur.pl/biblioteka-trubadura/krol-roger |date=2013-12-31 }}
* [http://duszenko.northern.edu/szymanowski/index.html Libretto (English translation)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626061202/http://duszenko.northern.edu/szymanowski/index.html |date=2010-06-26 }}
* [http://www.kultiversum.de/Oper-Opernwelt/Kurz-berichtet-56.html Kultiversum German-language page on ''King Roger'']
* [http://www.classical-composers.org/comp/wislocki Classical Composers.org page on Stanisław Michal Wisłocki]
* [http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/May04/Szymanowski_Roger.htm Rob Barnett, CD review of Accord ACD 131, MusicWeb International, 4 May 2004]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090104053859/http://www.timeout.com/newyork/articles/opera-classical/42091/king-roger Myers, Eric, ''King Roger''], ''Time Out, New York'', 22–30 July 2008. Review of the [[Bard College]] production
* [http://culture.pl/en/work/king-roger-op-46-karol-szymanowski ''King Roger'', Op. 46 – Karol Szymanowski], Culture.pl
* [http://culture.pl/en/article/king-roger-op46-and-the-clash-of-the-gods ''King Roger'', Op. 46 and the Clash of the Gods]

{{Karol Szymanowski}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Operas by Karol Szymanowski]]
[[Category:Polish-language operas]]
[[Category:Operas]]
[[Category:1926 operas]]
[[Category:Operas set in Sicily]]
[[Category:Roger II of Sicily]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of kings]]
[[Category:LGBTQ-related operas]]