Karol Szymanowski - King Roger (Król Roger, König Roger)

Szymanowski's majestic Opera:
Krol Roger

Sorry for being so late. I was planning uploading more earlier but studying and other responsibilities at the same time prevented. Anyway Enjoy!

Timestamps
0:00 Prologue
0:17 Act 1
24:24 Act 2
59:19 Act 3

King Roger - an opera by Karol Szymanowski , in three acts with a libretto by the composer and Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz . Its premiere took place on June 19, 1926 in Warsaw

Roles:
King Roger- King of Sicily, Baritone
Roksana- Roger's wife, Soprano
Edrisi- the Arab sage, Tenor
Shepherd- Tenor
Archiereios- Bass
Deaconess- Contralto

Act One – “The Byzantine Empire, the Christian Act.”

Sicily, mid-12th century. King Roger arrives at the cathedral where mass is in progress (choral singing Hagios, hagios, hagios [ Holy, holy, holy] ). Archiereios and Deaconess demand that he forbid the spread of heresy by the mysterious Shepherd who preaches faith in a new god. Roksana asks that Roger listen to him before he is sentenced. The Shepherd appears and the crowd demands his death. The shepherd sings the blasphemous aria My God is beautiful as I am , which makes a great impression on everyone gathered and charms Roxana. Roger sentences the Shepherd to exile, but he quickly changes his mind and tells him to come to his palace. The crowd prays to God.

Act Two – “Orient, Arabic Act”

In an atmosphere of anxiety, while waiting for the Shepherd, the King talks to the sage Edrisi, his Arab advisor. Roxana sings the song Dream of King Roger's Bloody Dreams . The Shepherd arrives with a handful of his followers. He greets the king in the name of eternal love, says that he comes from afar and is a messenger of God. Roger gets nervous, but Roxana calms him down. Everyone falls under the Shepherd's charm, he charms the crowd with a Dionysian dance. The king orders him to be put in chains, the Shepherd breaks the chains and leaves, and Roxana leaves with him. The King stays with Edrisi, and after a while he decides to follow the Shepherd.

Act Three – “Antique, Greco-Roman Act”

The king, together with Edrisi, reaches the ruins of an ancient Greek temple. The voices of Roxana and the Shepherd answer his call. Roxana appears and says that her new faith has restored her joy of life, the Shepherd reveals himself as Dionysus. After making a sacrifice and lighting a fire in front of the altar, new followers of the Shepherd arrive. After an ecstatic dance in which Roxana appears as a maenad, everyone leaves. The sun rises, the King, remaining with Edrisi, welcomes its radiance with joy.