Between body and sound: the theatre of Wojtek Blecharz

Abstract

The article attempts a synthetic overview of Wojtek Blecharz’s major theatrical projects, including specifically his opera productions, such as Transcryptum, Park-Opera, Body- Opera, Fiasko [Fiasco] and Rechnitz-Opera (Anioł Zagłady [The Exterminating Angel]). What these shows have in common is a clear tendency to transcend traditional operatic conventions, associated with both the form of the genre and its reception. The composer’s musical and theatrical experiments focus on sound – its performativity and inseparable link to corporality. The privileging of the body and musical gesture goes hand in hand with enhancing the visual aspect of music, which makes it possible to see even Blecharz’s autonomous compositions in terms of performance and often also instrumental theatre. This article presents the operatic work of Blecharz against the background of contemporary theories related to the performativity of music and its intermedia contexts.