Over the past three months, Piotr Beczała has spent most of his time in Vienna undergoing intensive work and reaping spectacular success. It was the Austrian capital that became the center for the majority of performances, concerts and cultural events in which Piotr has been involved this winter.

December 15 was a day of the long-awaited premiere of Halka by Polish composer Stanisław Moniuszko at the Theater an der Wien. The production, directed by Mariusz Treliński, conducted by Łukasz Borowicz and co-produced with Teatr Wielki – Opera Narodowa in Warsaw, proved to be a huge success. For Piotr Beczała, the staging of Halka in one of the most prestigious European theaters was not only the result of many years of efforts, but also a dream come true and a great step forward in promoting Polish opera abroad.

A few days after Halka’s last performance, Piotr sang together with Anne-Sophie Mutter during the 150th anniversary concert at the Musikverein Wien, accompanied by the Wiener Philharmoniker conducted by Semyon Bychkov. As the artist has repeatedly emphasized, participation in this historic event was a great honor for him.

The next project was the revival of Wagner’s Lohengrin at the Wiener Staatsoper, which gave Piotr the opportunity to once again sing in one of his favorite roles. Soon after the artist set off to Andorra la Vella, where he toured for the first time.

After the return, Piotr appeared again on the stage of his beloved Wiener Staatsoper, this time as the Prince in three performances of Dvorak’s Rusalka. At the beginning of February the artist and his wife Kasia travelled to Warsaw, where Piotr took a part in a few interesting projects, including three performances of Halka at the Teatr Wielki – Opera Narodowa and final recordings for his new verismo album, which will be released in May by Pentatone label.

The culmination of a busy winter season was the artist’s performance during one of the most important cultural events in Vienna – 64. Wiener Opernball. Piotr Beczała sang at the opening together with Aida Garifullina, and their performance was warmly received by guests and widely commented on in the Austrian media. “It was a truly great ball – Piotr wrote on his social media profiles the next day. – A fantastic evening, full of elegance, beautiful music and touching moments. I am very happy that I could be a part of it.”

After the Viennese successes, it’s time for New York City, where the artist is currently participating in rehearsals for the Metropolitan Opera production of Massenet’s Werter. The first of six scheduled performances will take place on March 16. Piotr Beczala’s schedule is available online here.