The Haunted Manor
The Haunted Manor (Polish: Straszny dwór) is a four‑act opera by Polish composer Stanisław Moniuszko, written between 1861 and 1864 with a libretto by Jan Chęciński. Although it is a romance and a comedy, the work carries strong Polish patriotic themes about military courage, duty to the nation, and family honor, which helped it win popularity at home but drew the ire of the Russian authorities in Congress Poland, who banned it after its early performances. Many regard it as Moniuszko’s best opera and one of the greatest 19th‑century Polish scores, though it remains relatively unknown outside Poland.
The opera blends charming country life with a serious sense of national duty. A pair of brothers, Stefan and Zbigniew, return from war and vow to remain single so they will be ready to fight for their country if needed. Their aunt, Cześnikowa, wants to marry them off to two brides of her choosing. The brothers decide to visit their father’s old friend Miecznik, who owns Kalinowa Manor and has two daughters, Hanna and Jadwiga. Cześnikowa claims the manor is haunted to scare the brothers away. On New Year’s Eve, Hanna and Jadwiga prepare for a fortune‑telling to see who will be their future husbands. A dashing barrister, Damazy, tries to impress, but his vanity contrasts with the soldiers the sisters admire.
A hunting party led by Skołuba arrives, and a debate about killing a boar unfolds. The brothers arrive, and all three men become entangled in schemes and suspicions. A clock, life‑size portraits, and other magical touches heighten the comic suspense as Damazy tries to hide his weakness and the brothers confess they have fallen in love. Cześnikowa’s plans collide with the truth, and Damazy’s disguise is exposed. Miecznik explains that the manor’s reputation as haunted comes from an old family legend, not real magic. In the end, Stefan marries Hanna and Zbigniew marries Jadwiga, with Miecznik’s blessing, while the schemers are thwarted.
The Haunted Manor has a rich musical life. It is celebrated for its beautiful harmonies, skillful group scenes, and instrumentation that supports Polish atmosphere, including integrates of songs and dances such as mazurkas, polonaises, varsoviennes, polkas, and krakowiaks.
Performance history and later versions: The premiere took place at Warsaw’s Grand Theatre on 28 September 1865, but the opera received only two more performances before being banned by Tsarist authorities. An English version was prepared in 1970 by translator George Conrad with Mollie Petrie, premiering with the University of Bristol Opera Society; this sparked excitement among Polish expatriates in England. The English version has since been staged in the UK, including a 2001 production by Opera South. In 1982, Michigan Opera Theatre in Detroit presented what was called the American premiere as The Haunted Castle, in English. A 2009 English translation by Donald Pippin was presented by Pocket Opera in San Francisco. The story has also appeared in a 1936 film adaptation with the same title.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 20:47 (CET).