The saxon company
A Polish-Saxon opera ensemble
The small musicians and actors collective from Saxony undertakes a European journey through space and time and brings the great classics to small, large and alternative stages.
Our history
In 2017, the Ars Augusta Society in Görlitz founded a Polish-German baroque ensemble and in 2019 brought an opera production for the first time with the participation of talented young singers from all over Europe on an established stage such as the Teatr Zdrojowy in Szaczawno Zdrój and in the Palais im Großer Garten in Dresden, which was in need of renovation. It was the first revival of an opera from the music collection of Augustus III, the Saxon King of Poland: the opera by the Venetian Antonio Lotti "Giove in Argo" (Dresden, 1719). This was the first of a number of other finds from this collection as well as from other archives, such as the archive of the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna. It showed us the great treasures of the Saxon-Polish, but also Bohemian and Italian cultural heritage, as well as the international connections and the flourishing of cultural heritage that these patrons made possible.
The role of these cultured people and artists in spreading the ideas of the Renaissance and later Enlightenment through the travels of independent theater companies throughout Europe (particularly Italy and England) was of fundamental historical importance.
Inspired by these traveling music-theater troupes, we would like to found a similar collective in January 2023 with singers, instrumentalists, theater people who share the ideal and love for European theater spirit and music.
The singers are selected from the societies's best artists to date and from the "Bolko von Hochberg" Lied-Competition. The instrumentalists (The Lausitzer Barockensemble) and theater people come from the regional human potential.
Our goals
Back to the roots in the music and theater tradition
The theater collective shares the belief that theater and especially musical theater in its original sense, as conceived in the ancient Greek theater tradition and later in the Italian Renaissance, has great power to bring about a renaissance in our time as well. In this way, we want to go back to the roots of this practice through cross-border cooperation and inspire citizens of today.
Journey of discovery through time and space
On the voyage of discovery of the great theater people and composers in Europe between the Renaissance and Classical period, we would like to interpret well-known works of literature, but also present forgotten works with a high educational value. We are inspired by the amphitheater by Stanislaw August Poniatowski in Park Lazienkowski in Warszaw, with the statues of the great playwrights of Europe from antiquity to the time of the patron.
Rural revitalization, new life in abandoned monuments.
We not only want to bring this culture to small or large stages, in town and village, in real venues but also in abandoned and forgotten monuments, but also to document it and make it digitally accessible to everyone. Above all, however, the education of the young audience iso important.
Research, documentation, new concepts
Through this revitalizing force of young creatives, we want to revitalize European cultural heritage. It's about abandoned churches, castles, like the 428 abandoned theaters in Italy, the abandoned villages of Greece. We are against forgetting and want to interest everyone in the treasures of European heritage with the spirit of a singing actor. The same applies to the historical context, the biographies of the artists of yesteryear and rediscovering their works.
Promotion of young talents and support for regional cultural actors
We want to offer all creative regional forces and associations an opportunity to work together with us, but above all we want to offer young talents, the stars of tomorrow, a stage to show their talent. At the same time about the journey through the European area and the great works from all times to be mentors to their education. Small workshops are also planned in each location by the artists of the collective for young people from distant regions.
New ways for the future of a sustainable, humanistic theater
From the turning point in which we are currently living, we would like to find new ways for a sustainable, humanistic theatre, experiment with new technologies and exchange ideas with people from other countries in order to create a new, more peaceful, people- and nature-friendly music theater practice to create a sense of well-being on stage that is also reflected in the real world.
Our team
We are still looking for permanent members of the Compagnia.
Current project
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
LA SERVA PADRONA
May - June 2023
Venues and partners
Our sponsors
Friends circle
We would like to form a circle of patrons and patrons around our ensemble. The people who support us with generous donations have special advantages for our projects.
We offer all interested culture lovers to support us through fundraising.
Thank you for your donations to the patrons:
Prof.Dr. Klaus-Dieter Mende (donation "August the Strong") | May 2023
