Carmina Burana: Opera Krakowska

“Carmina Burana”, called by some people a stage cantata and by others – an oratorio, is based on secular mediaeval songs, discovered in 1803 in the Bavarian monastery Benediktbeuern.

Carl Orff selected from this vast collection of texts, created by vagrants, students and wandering clerics, 24 songs and composed them in some sort of a libretto. The first part comprises songs celebrating nature and the awakening spring, the second part is a praise of Bacchus and the third one tells of pleasures of love.

The motto of the entire piece is apotheosis of life and affirmation of the world. Only approval to order and structure of the macrocosm will allow a human to maintain purity of soul and live according to nature.

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