Kawecka Antonina, *16 January 1923 Warsaw, †5 October 1996 Poznań, Polish singer (dramatic soprano). In 1941–44, she studied at a secret conservatory in Warsaw under the supervision of S. Kazuro. She continued her vocal studies with S. Belina-Skupiewski (1945–47), A. Didur (1945–46) and J. Woliński (1947–52). Initially, she sang mezzo-soprano roles at the Silesian Opera in Bytom (1945–47). In 1947–79, she performed soprano parts at the opera in Poznań. She achieved great success as Halka in Moniuszko’s Halka, staged by L. Schiller and conducted by W. Bierdiajew (premiere on 22 January 1950). She became famous as an outstanding interpreter of roles in works by Moniuszko, Puccini, Verdi and Wagner. Her performance in the role of Isolde in Wagner’s Tristan (premiere on 15 December 1968) became an artistic event in the history of Polish opera theatre. Kawecka has appeared as a guest on all opera stages and philharmonic stages in Poland and abroad, including: in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, the USSR, GDR, Bulgaria, Romania, China, the United States, the Federal Republic of Germany, and Italy. She participated in the work of the jury of international vocal competitions in Sofia (1984), Antwerp (1990), Warsaw (Moniuszko 1992) and the national Didur competition in Katowice. From 1970, she worked as a teacher at the Academy of Music in Poznań. She received the artistic award of the city of Poznań (1956, 1968), the state award of the 2nd degree (1973), the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1976), the award of the Minister of Culture and Art, 1st degree (1982, 1994), and the Polish Association of Singing Teachers (1993).
Kawecka was one of the leading Polish opera singers. Her performances were distinguished by high vocal culture, depth of dramatic expression and suggestive acting. She had a strong, beautiful, dark-sounding voice and outstanding stage talent. Kawecka’s repertoire included, apart from opera parts, vocal cycles and numerous songs, including Moniuszko, Chopin, Szymanowski, Schubert, Schumann, Debussy, Ravel, Fauré, Roussel, Kodàly, de Falla, Martinů, Berg. Kawecka’s recordings for Polish and foreign companies include numerous opera arias and duets, songs by Chopin, Moniuszko and Szymanowski. CDs with Halka’s recordings with Kawecka in the title role (1953, Poznań Opera Orchestra, conductor W. Bierdiajew, Muza 2441–2455) have been reissued in Poland (PN Muza XL 0019–0021) and abroad (Chant du Monde LDXA 8095–8096, Colosseum CRLP 188P–189P, Bruno BR 23014–23015). The most important roles: Maryna in Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov, Marta in d’Albert’s Tiefland, Tatiana in Eugene Onegin, Maria in Mazeppa and Liza in Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, Agatha in Weber’s Der Freischütz, Balladyna in Żeleński’s Goplana, Amelia in Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera and Leonore in Il trovatore, Yaroslavna in Borodin’s Prince Igor, Kupawa in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Snow White, Marzenka in Smetana’s The Bartered Bride and Vendulka in The Kiss, Magda Sorel in Menotti’s The Consul, Lady Billow in Britten’s Albert Herring, Elizabeth in Tannhäuser, Ortrude in Lohengrin and Isolde in Wagner’s Tristan, title parts in Bizet’s Carmen, Puccini’s Tosca and Madame Butterfly, Verdi’s Aida, Shostakovich’s Catherine Izmailova.
Literature: A. Laboga Antonina Kawecka, “Kronika Miasta Poznania 1970 No. 1; W. Panek Antonina Kawecka, “Teatr” 1980 No. 4; W. Panek Antonina Kawecka, in: Kariery i legendy, part 1, Warsaw 1984.
