The King and the Tsarina

The romance between Poland's last king and Tsarina Catherine the Great was no secret - it was to the Russian ruler that Stanisław August Poniatowski owed his throne in Warsaw. The play "The King and the Tsarina" directed by Jerzy Zelnik is based on the correspondence between Tsarina Catherine and King Stanisław August.

In 1755, young Polish aristocrat Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski arrived in St. Petersburg as secretary to the English ambassador. He caught Catherine's attention, losing his head for her in turn. Her husband Peter discovered the affair - he reacted with anger, but quickly composed himself and blessed the lovers, having his own extramarital liaisons. In July 1762, he died - at his wife's command, who had him murdered. Two years later, Catherine, now as tsarina, made Poniatowski the ruler of Poland. Thirty-one years on, she stripped him not just of his throne but of his kingdom, leading to the Third Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The creators of this Theatre of Classical Polish Literature production present a psychological and emotional portrait of both monarchs - former lovers who, under the guise of fraternal relations, wage a diplomatic war over conflicting national interests. Echoes of their former passion still resonated between the lines of their letters, yet the true substance of their correspondence was brutal, unsentimental political calculation. The actors will reveal the full complexity of the relationship between Stanisław August and Catherine II - a dramatic blend of longing, hope, fear, contempt, and cold calculation.

Duration: 1h 10′

Discounted tickets are available for students, seniors over 60, people with disabilities, and holders of the Large Family Card.