Radziwiłł, Maciej (EN)

Radziwiłł Maciej, prince, *circa 1750 Szydłowiec, †1800 Nieśwież, from 1788 Lithuanian castellan, Polish composer and librettist. There are two known librettos by Radziwiłł written in Nieśwież, during the heyday of the court theatre after 1780, as a result of Prince Karol Radziwiłł (called Mr. Lover) bringing actors and musicians (J.D. Holland, V. Nicollini), and establishing a music and ballet school which students recruited from the local population, and a ballet company (led by Pettinati and Łojek). Radziwiłł wrote the libretto (manuscript preserved in the National Library) for the opera Agatka, czyli Przyjazd pana, performed in 1784 during the visit of King Stanisław August Poniatowski (music by J.D. Holland or A. Danesi) and for his own three-act opera Wójt osady albiańskiej, representing the comedy trend a musical with peasant themes, performed in 1786 at the summer residence of the Radziwiłł family in Alba near Nieśwież.

The libretto for Agatka (the only fully preserved opera composed for magnate stages) has an idyllic character: social issues are discussed against the background of a love story (the relationship between a good lord and his subjects). The text stands out among other librettos from this period because it is entirely in verse, both in the sung parts (predominantly 8-syllable) and spoken parts (predominantly 13-syllable). The author skilfully uses dramatic means (including concise dialogues), introducing a multi-threaded action with comedic elements (Walenty’s rude humour) and varied language (folk characters’ mazuration, e.g. Agatka’s sentimental and idyllic song Biedne ptasęta, biedne pisklęta).

After moving to Vilnius (1788), Radziwiłł composed orchestral, chamber and piano pieces, including a 3-part Divertimento in D major with an extensive instrumental set (bassoons, horns), a 3-part Serenade in B-flat major in the early classical style, orchestral polonaises, among others La chasse (with clarinets and hunting horns) of a programmatic and illustrative nature (a chase, barking dogs, shots).

Literature: J. Prosnak Opera polska w teatrach magnackich XVIII wieku, “Muzyka” 1965 No. 1; A. Nowak-Romanowicz Muzyka polskiego oświecenia i wczesnego romantyzmu, Z dziejów polskiej kultury muzycznej vol. 2, Kraków 1966; A. Nowak-Romanowicz Klasycyzm 1750–1830, «Historia Muzyki Polskiej» IV, ed. S. Sutkowski, Warsaw 1995; A. Żórawska-Witkowska Muzyka na dworze i w teatrze Stanisława Augusta, Warsaw 1995.