Many a generation of Poles has grown up on the poetry of Jan Brzechwa. This outstanding member of the Skamander group knew how to speak to children like few other poets. He clothed the mischief of the wayward Flea in delightful rhymes, which, in this production directed by Anna Seniuk, shimmer with every colour, thanks in part to the music of Maciej Małecki. Solo pranks, duet antics and a torrent of jokes from the chorus create a warm, joyful production that introduces not only the youngest audience members to the world of theatre and opera. And as for ‘adult’ opera, that too makes an appearance in the production – an aria from Stanisław Moniuszko’s The Haunted Manor and an aria from Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca provide additional context for the presence of the Trickster Flea on the opera stage.
