Krzysztof Cicheński (1986) is a stage director, dramaturge and librettist. His operatic performances were created and presented in Poznań and Warsaw (Poland), Rijeka and Zagreb (Croatia) and at festivals in Budapest and Vienna. Combining distant themes, stage conventions and literary genres, he creates original, interdisciplinary works – theater performances, happenings, installations or classical and contemporary operas. By directing various stage forms, he focuses simultaneously on experimental artistic activity and effective communication with the viewer. He believes that each performance creates a community of mindfulness, commitment and understanding through affective impact, intellectual provocation or distance and sense of humor. These beliefs also influenced the shape of his own method of artistic cooperation and the development of creative personality.
In 2005 he founded an independent and experimental artistic group Teatr Automaton. After many years of workshops and creative research the Theatre expressed its artistic statement in 2011 at Spring Festival in Poznań. “Seminars of Immanent Spring” was a philosophical-theatre commentary for Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring”. Next premieres has been presented at International Theatre Festival “Maski”, Poznań Slavic Fest, NSK Festival and Stara Gazownia Festival in Poznań i 2011-2016. Religion, transhumanity, emancipation, contemporary art and humanistic discourse were the most explored topics of these perfmormances. The last production of Teatr Automaton is its 10th premiere and has been produced as a part of artist in residence program Scena Robocza in Poznań. “New Vision: exclusions, acts and sumblimations” was an installation of narratives, dance, live music and performance art inspired by counterculture movements of 20th century. By this show the group has achieved satisfying level of artistic fulfillment and therefore it was decided to end its activity.
In 2014 Cicheński directed his first opera as a part of Opera Theatre Laboratory in Great Theatre of Poznań. “The Angel of the Odd” by Bruno Coli is a chamber, contemporary opera based on a story by Edgar Allan Poe. Next year, again at Poznań Opera House he made “Pagliacci” by R. Leoncavallo. In 2016 he directed “Ariodante” by G.F. Handel in Warsaw Chamber Opera and “Die Fledermaus” by J. Strauss II in Poznań. He worked as a dramaturgist and set designer on a ballet “Kafka/Schulz: revelations and heresies” by a choreographer Tomasz Kajdański. In 2017 Cicheński directed also a world premiere of an opera by Martyna Kosecka. „Klothó” was presented during Music Biennale in Zagreb and in Croatian National Theatre in Rijeka. Arte television broadcasted this opera during Armel Opera Festival in Vienna. In 2018-2019 season Cicheński had an opportunity to create an opera for children from the very beginning together with composer Jarek Kordaczuk based on the award-winning play „Gwiezdnik” by Katarzyna Mazur-Lejman. World premiere has taken place during 22 Biennale of art for children. In March 2019 Cichenski staged a contemporary opera „Ofelia” by Jerzy Fryderyk Wojciechowski in Great Theatre of Poznań and in May 2019 fragments of Stanisław Moniuszko operas in collaboration with Music Academy of Poznań. In 2019 he co-founded a NOE Collective (New Opera Experiment), together with artist Julia Kosek, with whom he has been working since 2011.
For many years Cicheński has been conducting theater workshops and classes in acting and directing mostly at the Adam Mickiewicz University, the University of Arts and the Academy of Music in Poznań.
Cicheński is also a musician. He composes music for theatrical performances (since 2005), creates sound installations and electro-acoustic drama (since 2017), played bass guitar in several bands (since 2000) and as a flutist and drummer he was involved in many projects related to traditional music (2000-2009). In 2008-2012 he was a leader – vocalist, musician and songwriter – of an emo/tropical/punk band Babolband. In musical projects he also used self made instruments of his own design.