The Haunted Manor (Straszny dwor) by Stanislaw Moniuszko

[Maciek]

I'd like to start a thread devoted to an opera considered Moniuszko's finest. This opera is Straszny dwór (Straszny dwor). The title literally means "The Terrible/Terrifying Manor/House". Actual "haunted house" motives nonwithstanding, in his most famous aria (the aria with the chiming clock) Stefan sings "this truly is a terrifying, very terrifying house" ("to straszny, bardzo straszny dwór"), and this is basically supposed to mean that he has fallen in love with Hanna (the daughter of the owner). But for some reason this title is usually translated as The Haunted Manor, which doesn't really make much sense in that context. Another problem is the word "dwor" which designates a sort of middle sized country house where the szlachta (Polish gentry) usually lived. But there's probably no better choice than "manor" though - "The Haunted Dwor" would sound awkward to say the least.

Anyway, the libretto has no plot to speak of, so I'll get straight to the music. There are only 3 complete sound recordings of this opera, AFAIK, and not a single DVD one. Plus a CD of highlights. Plus countless recordings of the arias on various recital discs recorded by Slavic opera singers.

I'm sorry to say I still haven't heard the latest one, released by the Polish National Opera in collaboration with EMI Poland. According to many reviewers this is the best of the lot:

(conducted by Jacek Kaspszyk)

I do have the other two recordings. The first of these - on LP (4 of them). I've read somewhere that it has been re-released on CD but I've never seen that incarnation. It was recorded at the Poznań Opera in the early 1950s with Walerian Bierdajew at the helm - a conductor now remembered mainly for the fact that he taught Henryk Czyż.

Bogdan Paprocki (Zbigniew), Edmund Kossowski (Stefan), Antonina Kawecka (Cześnikowa), Marian Woźniczko (Miecznik), Barbara Kostrzewska (Hanna), Felicja Kurowiak (Jadwiga), Radzisław Peter (Damazy), Zygmunt Mariański (Maciej), Henryk Łukaszek (Skołuba) et al.

This is a very good recording with a very decent cast but sound quality really isn't good.

The other one is much better (from the late 1970s), and before it was released on CD it had many LP and cassette re-releases to testify.

This one has a truly excellent cast (it was a concert performance, the opera was not actually staged in that cast). The Polish Radio SO and Choir in Cracow is led by maestro Jan Krenz. Among the singers there are: Andrzej Hiolski (Miecznik), Zdzisław Nikodem (Damazy), Wiesław Ochman (Stefan), Leonard Mróz (Zbigniew), Florian Skulski (Maciej) and Andrzej Saciuk (Skołuba).

If you can get your hands on this recording, I heartily recommend it!

There's also a disc of highlights but this I don't have:

It is conducted by Witold Rowicki, and the cast includes Andrzej Hiolski, Bernard Ładysz, Bogdan Paprocki, Halina Słonicka, Zdzisław Nikodem. This might be very good and it's extremely cheap - I think I might be picking it up myself quite soon.

I remember from the old GMG that some of you have already heard the opera (in the newest recording) and enjoyed it?

Maciek

[Maciek]

OK then. Shall I change my screen name to Mr Obscure now?

[Maciek]

Actually, I believe The Cursed Manor would be the best translation of the title...

But that's not the reason I'm bumping the thread.

I'm looking for an English or French translation of the libretto available on-line. Does anyone know one?

[Wendell_E]

I'm looking for an English or French translation of the libretto available on-line. Does anyone know one?

The French site ODB opéra has one in French:

http://odb-opera.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=36

You do have to register to get it, but if you'd rather not, I could e-mail the file (it's a 405 KB Adobe Acrobat file) to you.

[Maciek]

Thanks so much! It's OK, I don't mind registering.

[Wendell_E]

I see Radio France will be broadcasting the EMI of The Haunted Manor in a couple of hours (1:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time).  You can listen on-line at http://www.radiofrance.fr/francevivace/accueil/.

[Maciek]

Great! Thanks for the heads up! That's in about an hour. If anyone needs to check what the U.S. Eastern time is right now, go to:
The official U.S. time clock

[Scriptavolant]

The title is evocative. I'm downloading this version:

[Maciek]

And you're making the right choice! Except for the female parts, the Krenz recording is much better (IMO). Look out for Wieslaw Ochman (as Stefan), especially. He steals the 3rd Act.

The EMI recording has an outstanding, breathtaking Jadwiga (Anna Lubanska). But the female roles in this opera aren't very large, so you can generally live without her. Since a perfect recording does not exist yet, I think the Polskie Nagrania one is better for the time being.

[Maciek]

Just to give you an idea of what I mean when I say that Ochman steals the show...

Here is Stachura (EMI; Kaspszyk):
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/8/25/1381505/Moniuszko-Haunted%20Manor-A3S4-Stachura-Kaspszyk.mp3[/mp3]

And here is Ochman (Polskie Nagrania; Krenz):
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/8/25/1381505/Moniuszko-Haunted%20Manor-A3S4-Ochman-Krenz.mp3[/mp3]

My problem is that when I listen to the second clip - I can't stop. When I listen to the first one - I just shut it down, couldn't care less...

[Maciek]

I can also add other clips (eg. Lubanska), if anyone wants...

The title is evocative.

Well, I hope you won't be disappointed - the translation of the title isn't very apt, and this is definitely not a horror story.

Actually, there's not much of a story at all - at least ostensibly. But beneath the surface there's immense, shattering, extreme drama of a military/political kind. From the very first scene, from the very first words sung there's unbelievable tension - if you only know what this opera is really about. I guess even most contemporary Poles don't know how to read between the lines (or simply forget to remember the historical context) - but then they don't need any plot. The melodies of The Haunted Manor are so popular and universally loved here - who needs a story to follow? But I was a little disappointed that the EMI release contains no information about the political sense of this piece. Actually, the essay they've included is generally quite worthless.

[Scriptavolant]

Well, I hope you won't be disappointed - the translation of the title isn't very apt, and this is definitely not a horror story.

Prima facie, yes, I thought it was a sort of Gothic mysterious Opera about haunted castles, witchcraft and magic spells 
I made a little research on the Web and found that it is closer to a comedy/romance notwithstanding the underlying tension you mentioned. No problem at all, that's a good opportunity to listen to some polish operatic music I completely ignored, and thank you for your hint.

[Maciek]

You're welcome, Andrea.

The general idea that you have to keep in mind is that it's not an opera about young men looking around for wives (well, at least it's not only about that) - it is actually an opera about a nation without a country: so whenever the question of fighting and weaponry comes up, it's really about whether they should stand up and fight or give up. Whenever there's talk of a mother or father, or parents in general - you have to think: "homeland". Etc., etc. It is all very subtle because of the tsarist censorship the opera had to go through to reach the stage. This was right after the failed January Uprising, and on the one hand: absolutely no mention of any "sensitive" subject matter was allowed. On the other hand: that wasn't necessary, people were extremely fine-tuned to read between the lines, and the slightest mention of anything remotely "national" set them off.

[knight66]

I have been listening to highlights of this composer's 'Hrabina', 'The Countess'. I had no preconceptions other than I had imagined something like Szymanowski. His dates are 1819 to 1872, so there was no chance that my guess would be correct. The soundword sometimes harks back to Mozart, but equally fooled me sometimes into thinking about Lehar who was not even born until 1870. But there is a distinctly Eastern European feel. I have no idea if this piece is typical, but there is melody a plenty, some showstopper arias and a great warmth.

It was very enjoyable indeed and I am happy to explore more of his music. I need however to get to grips with plots etc as, although it sounded charming and ear catching, I have not a clue what it was all about. So, onto Google.

Mike

[beclemund]

Just to give you an idea of what I mean when I say that Ochman steals the show...

Here is Stachura (EMI; Kaspszyk):
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/8/25/1381505/Moniuszko-Haunted%20Manor-A3S4-Stachura-Kaspszyk.mp3[/mp3]

And here is Ochman (Polskie Nagrania; Krenz):
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/8/25/1381505/Moniuszko-Haunted%20Manor-A3S4-Ochman-Krenz.mp3[/mp3]

My problem is that when I listen to the second clip - I can't stop. When I listen to the first one - I just shut it down, couldn't care less...

You have definitely convinced me with those clips. Thank you for the introduction, Mr. Obscure.

[Maciek]

Hooray! So this is what success tastes like?

BTW, did I convince you that the opera is worth seeking out, or that the Polskie Nagrania recording is better?

[Hector]

The opera had been on my list for sometime and I, finally, bought the EMI set last month.

Unfortunately, the last track of disc 1 was faulty and went back to the retailers.

Therefore, I have only heard it once but, however, it was just as I expected with some Polish colour thrown in to make it more interesting.

The set, now downloaded to iPod, is on my playlist for next month!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Just to give you an idea of what I mean when I say that Ochman steals the show...

Here is Stachura (EMI; Kaspszyk):
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/8/25/1381505/Moniuszko-Haunted%20Manor-A3S4-Stachura-Kaspszyk.mp3[/mp3]

And here is Ochman (Polskie Nagrania; Krenz):
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/8/25/1381505/Moniuszko-Haunted%20Manor-A3S4-Ochman-Krenz.mp3[/mp3]

My problem is that when I listen to the second clip - I can't stop. When I listen to the first one - I just shut it down, couldn't care less...

Hello, Maciek! I agree whole-heartedly with your assessment. The first singer has a terrible wobble, he sentimentalises and there is no development, no build-up of tension. In the second clip you're gripped immediately by the tense silence out of which the singer almost tentatively emerges.

Wonderful music, btw...

[Maciek]

Thanks for backing me up, Johan! I also think the difference in voice quality (colour) is quite striking (especially in the pianissimos!).

I was meaning to write a large in-depth review comparing the two recordings act by act with samples from the most interesting sections. But I don't have the time for that at the moment, and don't think anyone would care anyway.

[Maciek]

There are some very nice bits from The Haunted Manor to be found on youtube.

Andrzej Hiolski singing the Polonaise in act I:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2rh6suoQE0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_vB5SpLeZc

Bernard Ladysz in Skoluba's aria:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnKGHJG2oHU

Jacek Janiszewski's odd performance of same aria (pirate recording by R2D2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-WxoINs_8I

Adam Didur singing Zbigniew's arioso from act III (excerpt):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYTDEK0KMzI

Iwona Hossa singing Hanna's recitativo and aria from act IV:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXAOKFY1ZWw

Finale primo - recording from the Poznan Opera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ju_54YVcAQ




I was unable to find a decent Stefan's recitativo and aria from act III "Cisza dokoła, noc jasna..." (the one excerpted earlier in this thread).