Mieczysław Weinberg’s four-act opera The Idiot, based on the novel of the same name by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, was written in 1986—7 but only premiered in its entirety in 2013. Prince Myshkin is trusting, honest and kind in his dealings with people, which provokes considerable confusion in a corrupt and deceitful society. Moreover, he is in love with two women and cannot decide between them. Despite not wanting to upset anybody, and even harbouring benevolent sentiments towards his rival Rogozhin, he is powerless to avert the impending tragedy.
The young participants in the opera camp will become familiar with the Polish-Soviet composer’s richly textured music and engage with the opera’s contradictory and complex characters, developing their own take on the piece through involvement in the orchestra, chorus, stage design and production.