Verbum nobile

Verbum nobile
Opera by Stanisław Moniuszko
The composer
Description	comic opera
Native title	Straszny dwór
Librettist	Jan Chęciński
Language	Polish
Premiere	1 January 1861 Teatr Wielki, Warsaw

Polish magnates (1697-1795) painting by Jan Matejko, circa 1893

Verbum nobile (The word of a nobleman) is a one-act comic opera by Polish national composer Stanisław Moniuszko written to a libretto by Jan Chęciński, and set in 18th century Poland before foreign partitions of the country. It was first performed at the Teatr Wielki, Warsaw, on 1 January 1861 to instant popularity.^[1]

Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, 1861 (Conductor: - )
Serwacy Łagoda	bass
Zuzia, (his daughter)	soprano
Marcin Pakula	baritone
Michal (his son)	baritone
Bartolomiej, Marcin's servant	bass

Synopsis

The plot is a rehash of a familiar operatic theme- Zuzia and Michal are promised to each other by their parents, without their having met; they meet accidentally and fall in love. Michal, having given his name as Stanisław, is refused Zusia's hand by her father, who has given his word to Serwacy, Michal's father, on the betrothal. All is explained, preventing a duel between Marcin and Serwacy, and the marriage can go ahead.

Recordings

• Poznań Opera conducted by Robert Satanowski, MUSA PND 247 (1993)

Notes and references

1. P.T.I. (2013). "Verbum Nobile by Stanislaw Moniuszko". Polish Theatre Institute, USA. Retrieved February 18, 2013.