A sea musical, or a shanties musical if you prefer, is not a typical variant of this musical theatre form. The song “Captain Who” by Wojciech Stępień, PhD, DLitt (music) and Paweł Jędrzejko, PhD, DLitt, Associate Professor from the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Silesia (libretto) is a successful attempt at dealing with this topic. The last of them will be a guest of the Scientific Premiere Stage series of meetings. He will be accompanied by Marcin Trzęsiok, PhD, DLitt, Associate Professor from the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice.
The premiere of the musical “Captain Who” took place on 9 November 2022 at Teatr Rozrywki in Chorzów. Collaboration of Prof. Wojciech Stępień and Prof. Paweł Jędrzejko resulted in an unusual work. Coloured with folk tradition and seemingly distant from the dominant concept of creativity considered “serious”, the composition is a clear tribute to Henry Purcell, a baroque composer who inspired many creators of contemporary music – not only that presented in philharmonics, but also present in the soundtracks of many films or on the rock stage.
The concept of Prof. Wojciech Stępień, based on human voices supported by viola da gamba and violin, takes the listener into space above and beyond time, which makes “Captain Who” a reflection on the painful permanence of suffering.
Arias sung by Karolina Borodziuk (Dziwka) [Whore], Maciej Bartczak (Captain Who), Artur Plinta (Chłopiec pokładowy) [Board Boy] and Juliusz Krzysteczka (Barman), complemented by the polyphonic harmony of the Brasy shanty band, Mikołaj Kostka’s jazz violin and Krzysztof Firlus’ viola da gamba, tell the story of human entanglement in relationships in which, as the composer writes, “men dominate the world in the name of God and the King, taking advantage of the weak and innocent, and treating women like port whores. However, they pay a high price for this. By cutting themselves off from their own heart, they become unhappy and sleepless forever”.
Captain Who has no name, but wherever he goes there is also suffering, of which he himself, when he allows himself to reveal a human face, is also a victim. The musical by Prof. Wojciech Stępień, economical in means and provocative, embedded in the dynamic set design by Julia Nowak and visuals by Paweł Szymkowiak, consulted by Grzegorz Eckert – questions the essence of the heroic understanding of masculinity, a stereotype that, although glorified and cherished, flows with blood.
The last meeting of the Scientific Premiere Stage series this year will take place on Monday, 5 December 2022 as part of the 6th Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE at 6.00 p.m. on the Main Stage in the International Congress Centre.
The conversation will be translated into Polish sign language.
The Scientific Premiere Stage is an event co-organised by the Metropolis GZM.
We would like to remind you that the previous meetings are available on the USil YouTube channel.
