Description

STANISŁAW ORZELSKI (WŁOCŁAWEK, MARCH 17, 1873 – CZĘSTOCHOWA, 8 FEBRUARY, 1950)

His real name was Jan Donajski. Son of Feliks Donajski and Maria Borodzicz, he began his musical education under J. Szczepkowski after graduating from high school in Włocławek. In 1894-1895, he joined J. Myszkowski’s ensemble, with which he became affiliated with the Lvov Theatre in 1896, remaining there until 1900. Orzelski took on significant tenor roles such as Jontek in Halka, Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana, Janek in The Bartered Bride, Fenton in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Grabiec in Goplana, and Hoffmann in The Tales of Hoffmann. He also performed in operettas, including Sandor in The Gypsy Baron and Adam in The Birdman of Tyrol.

According to critic H. Cudnowski, Orzelski possessed a “strong and quite resonant voice,” though his diction was sometimes unclear. He occasionally performed with Ukrainian ensembles and toured internationally, appearing in Zagreb and Ljubljana in 1901, Belgrade in 1903, and Kraków during the 1903 summer opera season. He later joined the Budapest Opera from 1907 to 1910.

Orzelski continued his career with performances in Lvov, where he sang Faust in 1910, followed by appearances in Warsaw as Lensky in Eugene Onegin in 1911, and in La belle Hélène at T. Nowości. In 1913, he performed in Prague and guested at Warsaw’s T. Miniatury, with reports suggesting he also sang in Milan and Hamburg. He withdrew from the stage during World War I.

From 1945 to 1948, Orzelski resided in Częstochowa, where he occasionally gave concerts in schools. He passed away on February 8, 1950, in Częstochowa.

TRACKLIST

1. Lohengrin (Wagner) Cigno Fedel 10886 10886 Syrena
2. Baron Trenk (Albini) Nastup Trenka 6-12415 G&T
3. Dalibor (Smetana) Ozdenek 72709 128-lIII G&T
4. Faust (Gounod) Salut! demeure 72012 92z-III1- G&T
5. Freischütz (Weber) Arie Maxe 52616 Pathé, Wien 1910
6. Halka (Moniuszko) Szumią jodły na gór szczycie E547 13395 Columbia
7. Lohengrin (Wagner) Vypravovani o Gralu 72014 G&T
8. Lohengrin (Wagner) Łabędziu mój 10886 Syrena
9. Zauberflöte (Mozart) Aria Tamina 52614 Pathé, Wien 1910