Ugly truths

In Witold Gombrowicz's grotesque tragedy Yvonne, Princess of Burgundy [Iwona, księżniczka Burgunda] Yvonne, an unattractive, timid girl who is the object of incessant, spiteful remarks, arouses the interest of a prince named Philip. The prince, despite his great dislike of this strange creature, wants to rebel against the laws of nature which make young men fall in love with attractive girls. Philip gets engaged to Yvonne, heedless of the objections of the whole royal court.

Published before World War II, the play went unappreciated until the second half of the 20th century, when readers saw Yvonne's story as a reflection of the restricted individual, entangled in rigid etiquette and societal strictures. The story was also adapted to operatic form three years ago by Zygmunt Krauze, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Gombrowicz's birth. A concert version of the opera was performed for the first time in the Parisian Théatre Silvia Monfort in 2004, while a staged version premiered in September 2006, during the international Warsaw Autumn festival.

Audiences should be aware, however, that although modern fairy tales have happy endings, Gombrowicz was no author of Disney-esque fables. Yvonne, who is different from everyone else and unwilling to assimilate, causes confusion and anxiety, exposes lies and reminds everyone of their own foibles and failures, which proves unbearable for the royal family. Their solution to the problem is as base as their faćade is noble.

The opera is on at Teatr Wielki-Polish National Opera, February 1 and 2 at 7 pm.

For more information log on to http://www.teatrwielki.pl