Polish opera chief dies
mainPoland has lost one of its foremost musical organisers.
Stefan Sutkowski graduated music school in 1955 and won an audition in the Warsaw Philharmonic, where he played oboe for two decades. In 1957 he founded the period intruments group Musicae Antiquae Collegium Varsoviense. Four years later, he made it the core ensemble of Warsaw Chamber Opera, a company he led as artistic director until he retired in 2012.
Stefan died on Saturday, aged 85.
So sorry to hear this: he was an extraordinary man of singular vision. Every summer, under his leadership, the Warsaw Chamber opera staged all Mozart’s operas – yes, ALL of them! And in 2004 – which saw Poland’s accession, along with other former ‘Eastern bloc’ countries – to the EU, they staged works from all the member states: a remarkable endeavour. Stefan Sutkowski was lovely to work with, and he will be sorely missed. Condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.