Two conceptions of the world, one border between them – one embodies reason and light, the other is elemental, dark and irrational. One night, a charismatic shepherd arrives at the Christian court of King Roger and disrupts the established order of its Christian values and view of the world. Do his teachings bring joy and goodness or merely destruction and chaos?

The opera King Roger by the Polish composer Karol Szymanowski does not offer a clear answer. He himself described it as a mystery, the theme of which is the self-knowledge of man, his sexuality and spirituality.

The composer found inspiration for this work, which has its premiere in 1924, during a trip he took to the island of Sicily, a place abounding in monuments of ancient and oriental culture and early Christian art. This is perhaps why the historical figure of King Roger II, who ruled here in the twelfth century and at whose court Christian and Arabic culture and philosophy intermingled, became the focal point of Szymanowski’s opera. In the same way, thanks to the composer’s fascination with antiquity and the exoticism of the Orient, elements of not just Impressionism, but also Arabic music are reflected in his work.

This unique work is to be presented for the first time on the opera stage in Brno, where it is also to be the debut for the talented young director Vladimír John, who recently graduated from the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts (JAMU) and who captivated the public from Brno and beyond with his graduation performance last year.

Premiere: 13 June 2025 at the Janáček Theatre

Staged in the Polish original with Czech, English and German titles.

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