The Great Play. Ladislas IV and His Opera Theatre

A guided tour of the exhibition The Great Play: Ladislas IV and His Opera Theatre is an opportunity to explore the history of one of the most dazzling theatrical stages of Baroque Europe, located within the walls of the Royal Castle in Warsaw. It was the first permanent opera house in the Polish lands and one of the earliest north of the Alps. The exhibition tells the story of how an ambitious monarch transformed his court into a centre of spectacular performances and how art became a powerful instrument of royal authority. Ladislas IV Vasa, King of Poland from 1632 to 1648, was among the most enlightened monarchs of his era. Located in the southern wing of the royal residence, the theatre hall was expanded and modernized over the years by Italian architects. It soon became one of the most technologically advanced theatre spaces in Europe. Visitors to the exhibition will discover how 17th-century stage designers created storms on stage and made gods descend from the heavens.