Halka na gruzach Festung Breslau

The music of Stanisław Moniuszko appeared in Wrocław much later than in other cities of Poland and neighbouring countries. The meagre profile of this composer’s output in Lower Silesia was only raised by the much-trumpeted premiere of his opera Halka on 8 September 1945 in Wrocław, four months after the cessation of military activities on the territory of Festung Breslau. The history of the preparations for the first operatic premiere in Polish Wrocław shows how much truth there is in our ideas about the Polishness of Lower Silesia and how much romantic yearning.