Kacper Filip Szelążek (born 28 April 1984 in
Ełk,
Poland) – Polish singer, countertenor.
Life and career
He graduated in vocal studies in 2016 at the
Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw in the singing class of dr. hab. Artur Stefanowicz (previously he obtained the title of engineer at the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology of the
Warsaw University of Technology). He made his debut in 2013 in the Nerone part in the L'incoronazione di Poppea by Monterverdi, which he performed with great success at the Collegium Nobilium in Warsaw and in 2015 in the Salle Frank Martin Auditorium in Geneva. In 2013, as the best young musician of the year, he received a recording offer from Polish Radio (which was realised in the following form:
Karol Szymanowski – Three passages to words by
Kasprowicz,
Witold Lutosławski – 5 songs to words by
Kazimiera Iłłakowiczówna and arias of Sesto from Handel's Giulio Cesare)[1] and to represent Poland at the Young Talents Competition EBU in Bratislava (International Forum of Young Performers New Talent). He performed, among others at: the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, Teatro Ristori in Verona, Teatro Thalia in Lisbon, the Concert Hall of the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, the Grand Theater–National Opera in Warsaw, the Lutosławski Concert Studio in Warsaw, the Warsaw Chamber Opera, the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam. In his repertoire he also has oratorio parts, among others passions by J. S. Bach, cantatas by Handel, Porpora, Vivaldi and a large song repertoire, i.a. he is the only countertenor in the world that performs 3 poems to words by Kasprowicz by Karol Szymanowski.
Awards and Distinction
2016 – he received the Carlo Maria Giulini award at the
Stanisław Moniuszko International Vocal Competition in Warsaw.[2]
2017 – he was awarded the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music Medal[3]magna cum laude.
2014 Agrippina by Handel, as Nerone, with
Anna Radziejewska [
pl] in the title role (the production of Dramma per Musica Association[5] at the Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw) under the baton of Lilianna Stawarz
2015 Rodelinda by Handel, as Bertarido – the production of the Opera Institute in Warsaw[6]
2016 Ariodante by Handel, title role, with
Olga Pasiecznik [
pl] as Guineverehe – the production of the Warsaw Chamber Opera
2017 Farnace by Vivaldi, as Gilade, as the first countertenor in the role – the production of Dramma per Musica Association of the III Baroque Operas Festival in Warsaw [7]
2018 La morte d'Orfeo by Landi, as Bacco role – the production Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam [8] opera conducted by
Christophe Rousset[9] and the Les Talens Lyriques orchestra.
2019 Giulio Cesare by Handel]], as Tolomeo, conducted by
Christophe Rousset and the Les Talens Lyriques orchestra – concert performance in Theatre des Champs Elyses Paris France, Festival George Enescu 2019 Bucharest Romania in Romanian Athenaeum,[13] Festival D'Ambronay 2019 France
2019 Agrippina by Handel, as Narciso, conducted by
Christophe Rousset and the Les Talens Lyriques orchestra – concert performance in Romanian Athenaeum, Festival George Enescu 2019 Bucharest Romania,[14]
2020 Carmina Burana by Orff, conducted by Dimitris Botinis in Filharmonia Łódzka im. Artura Rubinsteina in Łódź, Poland
2020 singing with Radziejewska in the program Farinelli contra Carestini, Festiwal Dramma per Musica ONLINE 2020 ,conducted by
pl:Lilianna Stawarz and the Royal Baroque Ensemble, Warsaw, Poland
2021 Rodelinda by Handel, as Bertarido – the production of the Polska Opera Królewska, Warsaw, Poland, conducted Krzysztof Garstka and Capella Regia Polona
2022 L'incoronazione di Poppea by Monteverdi, as Nerone – the production of the Polska Opera Królewska, Warsaw, Poland, conducted Krzysztof Garstka and Capella Regia Polona
2022 J.S.Bach St John Passion, Choir & Orchestra of the Filharmonia Łódzka, conducted Andreas Scholl
2022 performance with Céline Scheen in the programme "Via Crucis" - L’Arpeggiata / Christina Pluhar in Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg, Germany
2022 La finta pazza by Sacrati, as Eunuco - conducted Leonardo García Alarcón, Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Nederland
2022 Il Diluvio universale, Falvetti, Opera in concert, conducted Leonardo García Alarcón, Ludwigsburg, Germany
2022 Cantates de Bach, J.S.Bach, conducted Leonardo García Alarcón, Festival de Saint-Denis/Festival de Namur, Paris, France
2022 performance with Céline Scheen in the programme " Himmelsmusik" - L’Arpeggiata / Christina Pluhar, Corvey, Germany
2022 performance with Céline Scheen in the programme " Himmelsmusik" - L’Arpeggiata / Christina Pluhar, Bruges, Belgium
2023 Rodelinda by Handel, as Bertarido – the production of the Polska Opera Królewska, Warsaw, Poland, conducted Krzysztof Garstka and Capella Regia Polona
2023 L'incoronazione di Poppea by Monteverdi – the production Opera National du Rhin/ Oper Graz, conducted Raphael Pichon
2023 L'incoronazione di Poppea by Monteverdi – conducted Emiliano Gonzalez Toro, Theatre des Champs-Elyses, Paris, France
Kacper Filip Szelążek (born 28 April 1984 in
Ełk,
Poland) – Polish singer, countertenor.
Life and career
He graduated in vocal studies in 2016 at the
Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw in the singing class of dr. hab. Artur Stefanowicz (previously he obtained the title of engineer at the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology of the
Warsaw University of Technology). He made his debut in 2013 in the Nerone part in the L'incoronazione di Poppea by Monterverdi, which he performed with great success at the Collegium Nobilium in Warsaw and in 2015 in the Salle Frank Martin Auditorium in Geneva. In 2013, as the best young musician of the year, he received a recording offer from Polish Radio (which was realised in the following form:
Karol Szymanowski – Three passages to words by
Kasprowicz,
Witold Lutosławski – 5 songs to words by
Kazimiera Iłłakowiczówna and arias of Sesto from Handel's Giulio Cesare)[1] and to represent Poland at the Young Talents Competition EBU in Bratislava (International Forum of Young Performers New Talent). He performed, among others at: the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, Teatro Ristori in Verona, Teatro Thalia in Lisbon, the Concert Hall of the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, the Grand Theater–National Opera in Warsaw, the Lutosławski Concert Studio in Warsaw, the Warsaw Chamber Opera, the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam. In his repertoire he also has oratorio parts, among others passions by J. S. Bach, cantatas by Handel, Porpora, Vivaldi and a large song repertoire, i.a. he is the only countertenor in the world that performs 3 poems to words by Kasprowicz by Karol Szymanowski.
Awards and Distinction
2016 – he received the Carlo Maria Giulini award at the
Stanisław Moniuszko International Vocal Competition in Warsaw.[2]
2017 – he was awarded the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music Medal[3]magna cum laude.
2014 Agrippina by Handel, as Nerone, with
Anna Radziejewska [
pl] in the title role (the production of Dramma per Musica Association[5] at the Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw) under the baton of Lilianna Stawarz
2015 Rodelinda by Handel, as Bertarido – the production of the Opera Institute in Warsaw[6]
2016 Ariodante by Handel, title role, with
Olga Pasiecznik [
pl] as Guineverehe – the production of the Warsaw Chamber Opera
2017 Farnace by Vivaldi, as Gilade, as the first countertenor in the role – the production of Dramma per Musica Association of the III Baroque Operas Festival in Warsaw [7]
2018 La morte d'Orfeo by Landi, as Bacco role – the production Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam [8] opera conducted by
Christophe Rousset[9] and the Les Talens Lyriques orchestra.
2019 Giulio Cesare by Handel]], as Tolomeo, conducted by
Christophe Rousset and the Les Talens Lyriques orchestra – concert performance in Theatre des Champs Elyses Paris France, Festival George Enescu 2019 Bucharest Romania in Romanian Athenaeum,[13] Festival D'Ambronay 2019 France
2019 Agrippina by Handel, as Narciso, conducted by
Christophe Rousset and the Les Talens Lyriques orchestra – concert performance in Romanian Athenaeum, Festival George Enescu 2019 Bucharest Romania,[14]
2020 Carmina Burana by Orff, conducted by Dimitris Botinis in Filharmonia Łódzka im. Artura Rubinsteina in Łódź, Poland
2020 singing with Radziejewska in the program Farinelli contra Carestini, Festiwal Dramma per Musica ONLINE 2020 ,conducted by
pl:Lilianna Stawarz and the Royal Baroque Ensemble, Warsaw, Poland
2021 Rodelinda by Handel, as Bertarido – the production of the Polska Opera Królewska, Warsaw, Poland, conducted Krzysztof Garstka and Capella Regia Polona
2022 L'incoronazione di Poppea by Monteverdi, as Nerone – the production of the Polska Opera Królewska, Warsaw, Poland, conducted Krzysztof Garstka and Capella Regia Polona
2022 J.S.Bach St John Passion, Choir & Orchestra of the Filharmonia Łódzka, conducted Andreas Scholl
2022 performance with Céline Scheen in the programme "Via Crucis" - L’Arpeggiata / Christina Pluhar in Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg, Germany
2022 La finta pazza by Sacrati, as Eunuco - conducted Leonardo García Alarcón, Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Nederland
2022 Il Diluvio universale, Falvetti, Opera in concert, conducted Leonardo García Alarcón, Ludwigsburg, Germany
2022 Cantates de Bach, J.S.Bach, conducted Leonardo García Alarcón, Festival de Saint-Denis/Festival de Namur, Paris, France
2022 performance with Céline Scheen in the programme " Himmelsmusik" - L’Arpeggiata / Christina Pluhar, Corvey, Germany
2022 performance with Céline Scheen in the programme " Himmelsmusik" - L’Arpeggiata / Christina Pluhar, Bruges, Belgium
2023 Rodelinda by Handel, as Bertarido – the production of the Polska Opera Królewska, Warsaw, Poland, conducted Krzysztof Garstka and Capella Regia Polona
2023 L'incoronazione di Poppea by Monteverdi – the production Opera National du Rhin/ Oper Graz, conducted Raphael Pichon
2023 L'incoronazione di Poppea by Monteverdi – conducted Emiliano Gonzalez Toro, Theatre des Champs-Elyses, Paris, France