Korolewicz-Waydowa Janina, *3 January 1876 Warsaw, †20 June 1955 Warsaw, Polish singer (soprano). She spent her youth in Lviv, studying singing under A. Myszuga, and then under W. Wysocki at the conservatory. After two years of studies, she made her debut in 1897 at the Lviv Opera as Hanna in Moniuszko’s Haunted Manor and then sang Alina in Żeleński’s Goplana, Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen, and the title role in Flotow’s Martha. In 1898, she graduated from the conservatory with distinction and went on guest performances to Kraków with the Lviv Opera ensemble, achieving her first significant successes in the roles of Margarita in Gounod’s Faust and Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata. In the same year, she was hired for three years at the Warsaw Opera, where she made her debut as Amina in Bellini’s La Sonnambula, then sang leading roles in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and Verdi’s Rigoletto. She also often performed at concerts at that time, the proceeds of which were donated to help political prisoners. In 1900, she took part in the opening of the Municipal Theatre in Lviv, singing for the first time in her career the part of Halka in Moniuszko’s opera (directed by L. Solski); this role eventually became one of her most brilliant creations. In 1901, in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, she was partnered by E. Caruso, who was visiting Warsaw. She remained at the Warsaw Opera until June 1902, but at the same time, in 1900–06, she was a soloist at the opera in Lviv, where she began to switch from a light (coloratura) repertoire to lyrical and dramatic parts (Bronia in Moniuszko’s Countess, Mimi in La Bohème and the title role in Puccini’s Tosca, Lotta in Massenet’s Werther, Elsa in Wagner’s Lohengrin). In 1902, she married Władysław Wayda, a doctor of law. In the 1902/03 season, she performed as a guest at the Teatro San Carlos in Lisbon; in 1903/04, she sang in Madrid, Barcelona, Budapest, Venice and Bucharest; and in the spring of 1904, she sang her first Wagnerian part in Lviv (Sieglinde in Die Walküre). In 1904, she performed with her own company in Odessa, and then alone in Kiev, where she sang Halka (in Polish), among other things. In Kiev in 1906, she sang with F. Chaliapin in Gounod’s Faust and in London with Carus in Pagliacci and Faust. In 1906–10, she visited Berlin, Budapest, St. Petersburg, Prague, Sofia and Paris, and often performed in Warsaw and Lviv, taking part in numerous patriotic and charity events. In 1910, she performed for the first time in the United States: in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland and Minneapolis. In 1911, she took part in the “star tour” to Australia, organised by N. Melba. For the 1912/13 season, she returned to the Lviv Opera. She was also in Lviv when the war broke out, but later spent the remaining years in Warsaw. From September 1917 to November 1918, she was (the first woman to hold such a position) the director of the Warsaw Opera, staging works by Polish composers (Paria by Moniuszko, Eros and Psyche by Różycki, Old Fable [Stara baśń] by Żeleński). In 1920, she left for America again, this time for three years. In 1923, having withdrawn from active artistic life, she settled with her husband in Zakopane. In 1934, she again took over as director of the Warsaw Opera for two years. Later, she created her own opera studio in Warsaw; her students included L. Szczepańska, E. Szabrańska, F. Beval, and K. Poreda. She spent the years of World War II in Warsaw, from where she moved to Kraków, where on 11 April 1947, she was celebrated in the Philharmonic Hall with the 50th anniversary of her artistic activity and was awarded the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. She spent her last years in Warsaw in difficult conditions, having almost completely lost her eyesight. On 9 February 1955, her jubilee was organised at the Warsaw Opera, combined with a ceremonial performance of Halka.
Korolewicz-Waydowa’s voice (recorded a few times at the beginning of the century) was distinguished by a stunning, silvery sound and great dramatic power. The artist had a great musical culture and was also gifted with outstanding beauty and stage temperament. She was one of the leading figures of the Polish opera world in the first half of the 20th century. Her most brilliant creations included the parts of Halka, Margaret, Aida, Elsa, and also Rachel in Halévy’s La Juive. She was also an excellent interpreter of songs, especially Moniuszko’s.
Literature: J. Korolewicz-Waydowa Sztuka i życie. Mój pamiętnik, ed. A. Gozdawa-Reutt, Wrocław 1958, 2nd ed. 1969, Russian transl. Leningrad 1965; Janina Korolewicz-Waydowa – 35-lecie działalności, Warsaw 1935 (including articles by F.K. Brzeziński, F. Szopski, C. Jellenta); L. Solski Wspomnienia 1855–1954, Kraków 1961; R. Jasiński Na przełomie epok. Muzyka w Warszawie (1910–1927), Warsaw 1979; R. Jasiński Koniec epoki. Muzyka w Warszawie (1927–1939), Warsaw 1986.vvvv
