Capitol Musical Theatre

Capitol Musical Theatre (Teatr Muzyczny Capitol) is a municipal musical theatre in Wrocław, Poland, established in 2004 as the continuation of a series of earlier companies that had performed in the same building: Operetka Dolnośląska (1955–1976), Teatr Muzyczny (1977–1979), Operetka Wrocławska (1979–1991) and Teatr Muzyczny – Operetka Wrocławska (1991–2004). It is a cultural institution of the Municipality of Wrocław and is based at ulica Józefa Piłsudskiego 67 in a building originally constructed in 1929 as the Capitol cinema-theatre. The theatre's programme spans operetta, musical, drama and contemporary music theatre, and since 2006 it has produced the Przegląd Piosenki Aktorskiej (Acting Song Review). Its artistic identity was reshaped in 2002 when actor and director Wojciech Kościelniak took over the then Operetka Wrocławska and turned it toward modern musical theatre; in 2004 the Wrocław City Council restored the historic name Capitol. Kościelniak served as the first general and artistic director of the renamed theatre (2004–2006), followed by Konrad Imiela (2006–2021), who remained artistic director after Hubert Zasina became general director on 1 September 2021. The building itself is a landmark of Wrocław's cultural life. Designed by Berlin architect Friedrich Lipp and opened in 1929, the Capitol complex comprised a 1,200-seat auditorium, a hotel and an administrative wing in an expressionist style. After World War II it reopened on 1 January 1946 as the "Śląsk" cinema, then became home to the Wrocław operetta company in 1964. Between 2011 and 2013 the theatre was expanded fourfold, from about 4,000 m² to 18,000 m², with restoration of the surviving modernist interiors by Anna Morasiewicz and a new building by KKM Kozień Architekci. The company returned to the renovated building on 28 September 2013 with a premiere of "The Master and Margarita" directed by Wojciech Kościelniak. As a publicly funded repertoire house, Capitol Musical Theatre presents a season of in-house productions, hosts guest artists and collaborates with figures such as Leszek Możdżer, Kinga Preis, Mariusz Kiljan and Janusz Radek. Its ensemble includes salaried actors and singers, and its activity is documented through its official website and social media channels.

The origins of Capitol Musical Theatre lie in the pre-war Capitol cinema-theatre, built in 1929 on Gartenstrasse (today ulica Józefa Piłsudskiego 67) in Breslau, now Wrocław. Designed by Berlin architect Friedrich Lipp, the complex consisted of a 1,200-seat auditorium, a hotel and an administrative section in an expressionist style, and was considered one of the finest such buildings in Central Europe. After World War II, the front building lost several storeys, but the foyer, auditorium and stage survived largely intact. On 1 January 1946 the building reopened as the "Śląsk" cinema, described as the largest and a premiere cinema in Poland. The theatrical company that would become today's theatre formed in the 1940s in the no-longer-existing Teatr Popularny. Its official post-war debut is dated 21 March 1955, when it performed Johann Strauss's "Die Fledermaus" directed by Szymon Szurmiej as Operetka Dolnośląska on the stage of the Wrocław Opera. From 1955 to 1964 the company performed at the Wrocław Opera, then moved in 1964 into the building at ulica Józefa Piłsudskiego 67, sharing the auditorium with the Śląsk cinema. The name changed repeatedly: in 1977 to "Teatr Muzyczny", in 1979 back to "Operetka Wrocławska", and in 1991 the two were combined as "Teatr Muzyczny – Operetka Wrocławska". A major renovation of the building took place in 1989–1990, and the theatre was entered in the register of monuments. The flood of 1997 caused further damage to equipment, ground-floor walls and lower storeys, after which the complex underwent another restoration. In 2002 the profile of the theatre changed completely when Polish actor and film director Wojciech Kościelniak took over the operetta company and transformed it into a modern musical theatre. In 2004 the Wrocław City Council restored the historic name "Teatr Muzyczny Capitol", referencing the 1929 Capitol cinema-theatre. Kościelniak served as the first general and artistic director of the renamed theatre from 2004 to 2006. From 5 May 2006 Konrad Imiela held both the general and artistic director positions. Since 2006 the theatre has also been the producer of the Przegląd Piosenki Aktorskiej (Acting Song Review). Between 2011 and 2013 the theatre's home was expanded fourfold, from about 4,000 m² to 18,000 m², including restoration of the surviving 1929 modernist interiors. Architect Anna Morasiewicz designed the renovation of the historic part, while the new theatre building was designed by KKM Kozień Architekci, who received the 2005 Project of the Year award from the Association of Polish Architects. The official return to the building took place on 28 September 2013 with the premiere of "The Master and Margarita" after Mikhail Bulgakov's novel, directed by Wojciech Kościelniak. On 1 September 2021 Hubert Zasina became general director, with Konrad Imiela remaining as artistic director. The theatre is a cultural institution of the Municipality of Wrocław. Its artistic ensemble in the 2022/23 season included salaried actors such as Albert Pyśk, Justyna Woźniak, Katarzyna Pietruska, Krzysztof Suszek, Michał Zborowski, Klaudia Waszak, Alicja Kalinowska, Tomasz Leszczyński, Michał Szymański, Magdalena Szczerbowska, Małgorzata Fijałkowska, Łukasz Wójcik, Helena Sujecka, Justyna Antoniak, Justyna Szafran, Elżbieta Kłosińska, Emose Uhunmwangho, Ewa Szlempo-Kruszyńska, Bogna Joostberens, Bartosz Picher, Agnieszka Oryńska-Lesicka and Adrian Kąca. Collaborating artists have included Leszek Możdżer, Wojciech Kościelniak, Jarosław Staniek, the boys' formation "Legitymacje", Sambor Dudziński, Kinga Preis, Mariusz Kiljan and Janusz Radek.

• 2021

  Hubert Zasina becomes general director on 1 September; Konrad Imiela remains artistic director.

• 2013

  Official return on 28 September with premiere of "The Master and Margarita".

• 2011

  Expansion and renovation of the theatre building begins.

• 2006

  Konrad Imiela becomes general and artistic director; theatre begins producing the Przegląd Piosenki Aktorskiej.

• 2004

  Wrocław City Council restores the historic name "Teatr Muzyczny Capitol".

• 2002

  Wojciech Kościelniak takes over and reshapes the company as a modern musical theatre.

• 1991

  Names combined as "Teatr Muzyczny – Operetka Wrocławska".

• 1979

  Name changed to "Operetka Wrocławska".

• 1977

  Name changed to "Teatr Muzyczny".

• 1964

  Company moves into the building at ulica Józefa Piłsudskiego 67.

• 1955

  Operetka Dolnośląska debuts on 21 March at the Wrocław Opera with "Die Fledermaus".

• 1946

  Building reopens as the "Śląsk" cinema on 1 January.

• 1929

  Capitol cinema-theatre opens in Breslau, designed by Friedrich Lipp.

Publicly funded municipal musical theatre combining operetta tradition with contemporary music theatre, housed in a restored modernist landmark.

• The Master and Margarita (2013 premiere)

  Opening production after the building's renovation, directed by Wojciech Kościelniak.

• Die Fledermaus (1955)

  First official post-war operetta performance by Operetka Dolnośląska, directed by Szymon Szurmiej.

1. 1Teatr Muzyczny Capitol official websiteteatr-capitol.pl
2. 2Capitol Musical Theatre on Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Teatr Muzyczny „Capitol” on Polish Wikipediapl.wikipedia.org