4. 10. 2020, 7 pm (ex. 5.10.)
Janáček Theatre
| Author: | Leoš Janáček |
| Conductor: | Marko Ivanovič |
| Director: | Martin Glaser |
| Kostelnička: | Karita Mattila |
Janáček Opera, National Theatre Brno
Act 1
The beautiful Jenůfa waits, fearing that her beloved Števa has been taken off to join the army. She is expecting his child, and his departure would jeopardise the forthcoming marriage. Števa’s stepbrother Laca also carries a flame for Jenůfa and asks her about Števa. The delighted Števa arrives with his friends and musicians at the mill – he has not been taken away and, together with the other recruits, celebrates their good fortune with drink. Jenůfa’s strict guardian Kostelnička sees the riotous company with Števa and announces in front of them all that she would only give her consent to a marriage between Jenůfa and Števa after a probation year, during which Števa would not be allowed to drink. Laca convinces Jenůfa that Števa loves her only because of her beauty, and during the argument he cuts her face with a knife.
Act 2
In fear of disgrace, Kostelnička hides Jenůfa in her home and claims to everybody that she has left for Vienna. In the meantime, Jenůfa has given birth to a son. Whilst Jenůfa is sleeping, Kostelnička humbles herself before Števa and begs him to marry Jenůfa. For Števa, however, Jenůfa’s scarred face has rendered her ugly, and besides, he is already engaged to the Mayor’s daughter. Laca arrives and asks Kostelnička to hand over Jenůfa to him. When Kostelnička gives away the secret to him that Jenůfa has given birth to Števa’s child, he is shocked. Seeing his doubts, Kostelnička in desperation lies that the child died immediately after the birth. As soon as Laca leaves, Kostelnička drowns the child in an icy river and convinces Jenůfa that she has slept for several days in a fever and the little boy has died in the meantime. The devastated Jenůfa agrees to a marriage with Laca.
Act 3
During the preparations for the wedding between Jenůfa and Laca the news breaks out that a dead child has been found in the river. Jenůfa recognises her little boy’s bonnet and the suspicion of murder falls upon her. Kostelnička admits her crime in front of the assembled guests. Before the Mayor leads her off to court, Jenůfa forgives her, for she understands that she did it out of love for her. Jenůfa does not believe that Laca would still want her and sends him away. However, Laca wants to stay by her side and promises that he will stay with her even when times are bad. Jenůfa realises that she has found her true love “and God is pleased with it”.
Author: Leoš Janáček
Conductor: Marko Ivanović
Director: Martin Glaser
Set Design: Pavel Borák
Costume Design: Markéta Sládečková
Lighting Design: Martin Špetlík
Choreography: Mário Radačovský
Dramaturgy: Olga Šubrtová
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Buryjovka: Jitka Zerhauová
Laca Klemeň: Jaroslav Březina
Števa Buryja: Richard Samek
Kostelnička: Karita Mattila
Jenůfa: Pavla Vykopalová
Stárek: Jiří Sulženko
Rychtář: Ladislav Mlejnek
Rychtářka: Jarmila Balažová
Karolka: Tereza Kyzlinková
Pastuchyňa: Jitka Klečanská
Barena: Jana Hrochová
Jana: Martina Mádlová
Aunt: Ivona Špičková
We can inform you we have managed to reschedule Jenůfa with star cast from 5th October to 4th October. Don’t miss the performance with Karita Mattila in the role of Kostelnička! For more information, follow our website www.janacek-brno.cz a the Janáček Brno Facebook page.
Thank you for your understanding and support!
Jenůfa is one of Janáček´s most famous works, and it marked a major turning point in his oeuvre. It has been on the repertoire of Brno’s opera ensemble almost continuously since its creation in 1904. At the festival, the successful production by Martin Glaser and chief conductor Marko Ivanović will be enhanced by the presence of an exceptional guest. One of the best singers of Janáček´s characters, and a star who has performed on many renowned opera stages around the world, Finnish soprano Karita Mattila will appear at the festival in the role of Kostelnička.
Jenůfa had its beginnings in a realistic drama penned by G. Preissová (1862-1946), which the composer himself adapted into the form of an opera libretto. Even though Janáček shortened the text of the drama significantly, he managed to make the tragic impact of the story from a Moravian village even deeper. The prodigal and unstable Števa, the stern but kind-hearted Laca and above all the relentless Kostelnička, whose efforts to maintain her position and respect in the village community leads her to murder the child of her foster daughter Jenůfa – these are the characters captured by Janáček in a masterful and dramatic portrait that sends chills down one´s spine while simultaneously awakening feelings of compassion and understanding.
The work on Jenůfa took Janáček nearly nine years. He completed the first act of the opera in 1897, while the second and third were created under circumstances that were greatly tragic for Janáček´s family. In 1902 the composer´s daughter Olga became seriously ill during a visit to Janáček´s brother in St. Petersburg. Janáček completed the second act of the opera after Olga´s return and the third shortly before her death in February 1903. He dedicated Jenůfa to her memory. Janáček wanted to entrust the premiere of the opera to the Prague National Theatre but he was refused with the words that the opera was not suitable to be shown on a leading Czech stage. The first performance thus took place in Brno on 21.1.1904 and was unusually successful. It was not until 1915 that the management of the Prague theatre and conductor Karel Kovařovic were finally persuaded to perform Jenůfa. After a very well-received Prague premiere in 1916, a performance followed in Vienna and Janáček finally found success as a composer not only in the Czech Republic but also worldwide.
Autor: Patricie Částková