Milewski, Oskar and Moniuszko, Stanisław - The Lottery

“Loterya” (The Lottery, 1841) is a one-act operetta by Stanisław Moniuszko (1819–1872) with a libretto by Oskar Korwin-Milewski (1812–1884). A light comic “fraszka” for soloists, choir, and orchestra, it tells of a young woman who falsely claims to have won the lottery. Her deception attracts a fortune-seeking rival, forcing her true lover to buy him off to win her hand.

First performed in Gоrаdnіa (1841) and staged in Miensk (1843), it became one of Moniuszko’s most popular early works in the region. Today, it remains significant for Belarusian ensembles, including Classic-Avantgarde, which revived it for the composer’s 190th anniversary.