Harnasie

The story is set in the Tatra mountains and is based on the legend of the abduction of a bride by the robber Harnaś and his band (the "Harnasie" of the title).

Szymanowski first visited Zakopane in the Tatras in 1921 and studied the music and folklore of the Gorals people.

In the first scene, the shepherd is driving his sheep to pasture and the girl encounters Harnaś.

[1] The ballet was first performed on 11 May 1935 at Národní Divadlo in Prague in a choreography by Jelizaveta Nikolská, a second production, choreographed by Serge Lifar followed on 27 April 1936 at Palais Garnier in Paris..[2] There it proved an exceptional success for Szymanowski nearly a year before his death.

The Polish premiere took place at Teatr Wielki in Poznań on 9 April 1938 in a choreography by Maksymilian Stakiewicz.