Stanisław Wyspiański’s Legend II is based on the fairy-tale stories about King Krak and his daughter Wanda. The action of the drama begins when a horde of Rydygier’s warriors attacks Krak’s castle. The old king dies and the defense is taken over by Princess Wanda, but all efforts are useless: the situation becomes hopeless. At the instigation of her trusted knights, the girl sacrifices her life to the goddess Ziva. The sacrifice is accepted and Wanda gains power, thanks to which she chases away the cruel enemy. The princess, who is to be burned at the stake in the morning, summons water demons to her rescue. Upon arriving in the chamber, the demons reveal the secret of her origin: she is the daughter of Ziva, and it is time for her to return to the water kingdom. Wyspiański’s drama shows Wanda’s internal transformation. Having become aware of who she is, she becomes a fully spiritual being, which is symbolized by her descent into the Vistula River in the final scenes of the drama.
Wyspiański’s drama was adapted for the radio by Iwona Rusek.
I used sounds inspired by ancient Slavic rituals. I have built two worlds of sounds: the first one is the kingdom of Krak and Wanda, and the second one is the underwater kingdom. They appear alternately as the action moves between locations progresses.
