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Outstanding was also the opera chorus, especially the female section that consisted of some very able-voiced individuals good enough to be soloists. So warmly were they received that, following the applause, they gave a spontaneous and rather unconventional encore of the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves.

Conductor Tadeusz Serafin knew just how to guide his small orchestra through the most difficult passages, supporting his singers here or there by turning down the volume when required and then coming back at full force to illustrate the dramatic elements of a given scene. The four cellists provided a nice warm sound -- the two female cellists chose to play with German-made instruments, while the first cellist came with an impressive 80-year-old French cello that he played with a French bridge, but only one of them chose a Polish cello as their instrument.

Exceptional also was the immense dedication of the Silesian cast to their craft. It was truly amazing to see what a genuine love for opera can do to a production even with modest financial means. The sparingly fitted stage setting and the strenuous travelling of the cast, across Germany for their tour and then, following the Munich performance, back to Poland in two huge busses, did nothing to take away from the charm of this production that relied not on expensive gadgets but on good voices and outstanding dramatic talents in order to make this a charming opera experience.

Copyright © 30 January 2005 Tess Crebbin, Germany

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SILESIAN STATE OPERA OF BYTOM

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