"He stopped the Sun, moved the Earth..." - although Nicolaus Copernicus is considered the greatest and most famous Polish scientist, his biography, full picture of his achievements and versatility worthy of a Renaissance man are not widely known today. 550 years after the birth of the astronomer, the Kraków Opera and the artists and producers invited to cooperate want to bring his story back to Polish pop culture, translating it into the language of the musical titled simply: Copernicus.
The libretto will refer to the most important events in the life of Copernicus - from his studies in Kraków, Padua and Bologna, through his return to Frombork, canon service, medical practice and astronomical research, participation in the coronation of Sigismund the Old and the Prussian Homage, and finally the creation and publication of De revolutionibus. There will also be space for the thread of the scholar's intellectual and emotional relationship with Anna Schilling. The authors of the show want to show the audience Nicolaus Copernicus - an outstanding astronomer, a great Pole, but also, simply - a man, open and full of scientific passion. “We do not want to take Copernicus off the pedestal. But we will let him put down the astrolabe for a moment and speak to us in a language that touches minds and hearts,” explain the creators.
The musical's libretto was created by the popular writer (and also a neurologist) Albena Grabowska, the author of, among others, the historical saga The Century of the Winny Family filmed by Polish Television. The lyrics of the songs were written by Daniel Wyszogrodzki - translator and theater author, specialist in the Polish and world musical scene, lecturer at the Theater Academy in Warsaw. The author of the music is Tomasz Szymuś - composer and arranger, lecturer at the Institute of Music at the Faculty of Art of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. The show's choreography will be prepared by Jarosław Staniek and Katarzyna Zielonka. The scenography and lighting will be created by Grzegorz Policinski, while the performance is directed by Jakub Szydłowski. The musical direction of the Lubicz stage premiere is taken over by Tomasz Szymuś.
World premiere: 20.05.2023, Frombork
Kraków Opera premiere: 1.10.2023
