Fairytales often speak directly to our unconscious, revealing drives and truths that are not always apparent to our conscious selves. It is therefore not surprising that many tales are replicated across countries and cultures, even if the characters and details vary. The Slavic fable of Rusalka, for example, has counterparts with the French Melusine, Germanic Nixie and numerous others, including, most famously, Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Little Mermaid.” Although Rusalka is a simple story of a water nymph who relinquishes the power of speech so that she can become human to be with a prince with whom she has fallen in love, her motivations lie deep within the unconscious, taking in sexual awakening, resentment and a desire to return to an innocent state, and it was these aspects of the narrative that the director, David Radok, wished to explore.

A Journey Into the Unconscious

Although it is not a unique nor a particularly profound reading, Radok’s presentation, for which he also designed the scenery, was hugely successful. Not only did he capture the full dramatic and emotional dimensions of the work, but his ability to convey the drama within the context of Rusalka’s unconscious motivations was expertly rendered and allowed the audience to fully engage with his interpretation.

Act one opened to a stage that blended a large room in a house with windows and doors in a watery blue-grey colour with wooden walkways and reeds as would be found in a marshy area, and that stretched from inside the room to the outside world. This was Rusalka’s world; it was secure and safe, in which the walls represented the borders between the known and unknown, between innocence and knowledge. Rusalka, like many a teenager, was desperate to open the doors, to leave the secure and safe world behind, and to explore what else exists; the prince provided the impetus that awakened her sexual desires and thus set her on the path. Unfortunately, that door opens in only one direction; innocence is not something that can ever be regained.

Act two takes her into a world of luxury and frivolity, of betrayal and lust. It is a complex world of suffering, illusion and disappointment. Radok’s staging was brilliantly conceived to create the impression of wealth through chandeliers and the façade of a mansion and an outdoor area dedicated to dancing. He also ensured that Rusalka’s disillusionment was clearly portrayed through her detached meanderings between the dancers and attempts to find a way out through the dense undergrowth that surrounded the dancing area.

Act three finds her back in her original room, but everything has changed. The roof is leaking, and the plants are dying; everything looks to be in a state of decay. No longer human, but neither a nymph, she allows her resentment for the outside world to grow and retreats into her watery world, shuts the doors, and closes the shutters on the windows, but it is not innocence that she finds, only isolation.

It was a reading that fitted sympathetically with the surface fairytale narrative, with each complementing the other to provide a layered and satisfying staging. Radok also ensured that the visual presentation was sensitively developed to draw out the dramatic significance of the events and to manage the tensions. The costume designer, Zuzana Ježková, created a series of costumes that set the characters in the Victorian period, detailed to reflect the characters’ natures. The Water Goblin appeared slimy and unkempt in old blue and grey coloured garments, while the three wood sprites were in greeny blue, light shifts. Jezibaba’s blue and grey costume gave her the appearance of a matron or nanny figure. All appeared as if water was their natural habitat. The Prince and Princess, on the other hand, definitely came from the civilized human world and were dressed as wealthy Victorians of high status. It was the costumes of the chorus for the ballroom scene that really stood out. They were all attired in black with top hats, including the women, which gave them a sinister appearance; they were certainly not benign, nor did they act in a manner sympathetic towards Rusalka. The two worlds, the human and nonhuman, were visually clearly divided. Rusalka’s changing costumes reflected her movement between the two worlds but always in a way that ensured she appeared different from those around her.

Ivanović Oversees a Musically Engaging Performance

It was also a reading that complemented the score perfectly, which the conductor Marko Ivanović sensitively brought to life with the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno. The pace and dynamic contrasts were carefully judged to support the onstage drama, if on occasions slightly understated, while the dance episodes were lively and graceful. It was also a reading that caught the beauty of the score.

Soprano Jana Šrejma Kačírková produced an emotionally compelling performance in the role of Rusalka. As the young and innocent water nymph, she was headstrong, rebellious, and yearning for love that she convincingly captured with a vocally expressive presentation, which she convincingly transformed into an insecure, bewildered and downtrodden young woman, before finally returning to the watery depths, hollowed out by her experience with humans.

Kačírková possesses a secure, resonant voice, which she uses with considerable skill to present emotional states, in which her pleading with her father and then with Jezibaba were particularly well developed as she coated her voice with longing and desire overlaid with an insistent determination to get her own way. There is also a pleasing energy in the voice so that even when singing in a more subdued manner, you could sense a restless spirit ready to explode at any minute. Her ability to move the voice freely enabled her to capture Rusalka’s disoriented state in acts two and three as she moved her voice flexibly across the range, with neatly placed accents and dynamic contrasts that expertly caught her pain and grief. It was, therefore, slightly disappointing that her rendition of the showpiece aria, “Song of the Moon,” did not really take flight; it was pleasant enough, and she allowed her emotions to strengthen as the aria progressed, but overall, it was too understated to convince.

Tenor Peter Berger made an excellent impression as the Prince, whom he played as a weak-willed and frivolous character, totally at the mercy of his fast-changing passions. Even as an old man, when he returns to Rusalka, full of remorse, to ask her forgiveness, he readily accepts her kiss that he knows will kill him. It appeared as the easy way out rather than an expression of deep love, despite his passionate pleading. Vocally, it was a role that seemed to suit him almost perfectly. He possesses a voice with a passionate, sweet-sounding tone that moves securely and with agility across the range, allowing for a lyrically strong performance, which he delivered with confidence and emotional force.

Vodnik, the water goblin, was given an engaging yet not wholly sympathetic reading by bass Jan Štáva. He was suitably anxious about and supportive of his daughter Rusalka but was abusive and sexually aggressive towards the wood spirits. His singing had a determined, even fierce, quality that gave him an imposing demeanour. Although certainly not lacking in beauty, his crafting of the vocal line was focused on promoting the meaning of the text, which he furnished with emotional honesty.

Soprano Eliška Gattringerová was thoroughly dislikable as the Foreign Princess. She was cynical, vicious and served only her own interests. Her voice had a harsh, strident edge, which she used forcefully and energetically to assert her will over both the Prince and Rusalka, whom she treated as an inferior.

Mezzo-soprano Václava Krejčí portrayed the witch, Jezibaba, as hard, unforgiving and cold, and treated Rusalka with total contempt. She possesses an agile, secure voice over which she exhibits excellent control, which she used to create a compelling vocal portrayal that captured her vicious and opportunistic nature. Her forceful response to Rusalka’s pleading in Act three was expertly rendered as she spat out her lines full of bile, which also showed off its nuanced colouring.

No attempt was made by Radok to hide the fact that the three wood spirits were based on Wagner’s Rheinmaidens; if anything, it appeared he wished to draw attention to the fact. With their greeny-blue costumes that evoked connections with the watery depths and their playfully cruel taunting of the Water Goblin, one could so easily have mistaken it for the opening scene of “Das Rheingold.” Played by soprano Doubravka Novotná, and contraltos Ivana Pavlu and Monika Jägerová, they acted their parts as a group, yet each managed to maintain an individual identity.

Baritone Tadeáš Hoza gave a solid performance as the Hunter.

The choir of the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre, under the direction of Pavel Koñárek, produced an energetic and beautifully sung performance, played out the dance routines wonderfully, and acted out their Act two roles convincingly to create an oppressive, even threatening presence.

Overall, it was a high-quality presentation, for which Radok must take a large share of the credit. It was an imaginative and dramatically convincing reading, which in no way is meant to belittle the contribution made by the orchestra or the singers, who all gave strong performances and made it the most successful of the four operas I reviewed at this year’s festival.

The post Janáček Brno Festival 2024 Review: Rusalka appeared first on OperaWire.

In November, she will be performing as Rusalka in this year’s Brno Janacek festival, which OperaWire shall also be covering.

OperaWire: What is the next opera you will sing in? 

Jana Šrejma Kačirková: Smetana’s “Dalibor” in Brno.

OW: What was the first opera in which you performed?

JSK: I sang in “La Boheme” and “Polish Blood” when I was a child. I was 12 at the time.

OW: At what age did you know that you wanted to become an opera singer?

JSK: I didn’t want to become an opera singer; I wanted to be a pop singer. However, my mother told me to learn how to sing first, and then choose what to sing. And it was my teacher, the famous opera singer, Libuse Dominska, who convinced me to sing opera. She was a role model for me, and I wanted to do it for her.

OW: What was the first opera in which you sang a major role?

JSK: It was Susanna in “Le Nozze di Figaro.”

OW: If you were having a dinner party and you could choose three guests, one of whom had to have a connection with opera, who would they be?

JSK: Anna Netrebko, the director David Radok and my daughter Anna.

OW: What is your favorite piece of non-classical music?

JSK: “Les Misérables”

OW: If you weren’t an opera singer, what career would you like to follow?

JSK: Anything in which I can meet people. Maybe I would be a translator.

OW: If you were a radio talkshow host, who would you most like to interview?

JSK: My grandfather. He died 15 years ago, but it was like he left yesterday. He had a big personality and had a big effect on me.

OW: What city in the world would you most like to visit? 

JSK: Paris. I have never been.

OW: What is your favorite food?

JSK: I love eating. I can eat anything. I love Chinese food.

OW: What is your favorite holiday destination?

JSK: Cape Verde. It is like paradise. It is a calm place with a tropical climate.

OW: Who is your favorite painter?

JSK: Monet

OW: What book are you reading at the moment?

JSK: I am reading a detective novel by Tess Gerritson called “Instinct.”

OW: You are singing Rusalka at the Brno Janacek Festival this November. The director will be David Radok. What is it like to work with him?

JSK: He is a genius. I love working with him. Every minute of working with him is great. He loves the singers’ ideas; he loves directing; he is very precise and wants everyone to be involved in the production. He wants energy on the stage, and he wants everyone to feel important. Everybody who works for him wants to do the right thing for him and to make him happy.

The post Meet The Person Behind The Voice: Soprano Jana Šrejma Kačirková appeared first on OperaWire.

Britten’s “Peter Grimes” is a director’s dream.

Who is Grimes? It is certain he is a loner; an outsider and a social misfit open to fits of temper. Yet there is also a sensitive side to his nature that comes out intermittently throughout the opera, notably in his aria “Now the Great Bear and the Pleiades” and in the reflective passage, “In dreams I’ve built myself some kindlier home.” Undoubtedly, he is a deeply layered and ambiguous figure, but is he capable of murder, sadism or worse? And what of the other characters in the story, particularly the people of the Borough, who come together as a crowd with a single intent: do they have any responsibility for the boy’s death and for accentuating Grimes’ dysfunctional behavior?

The options open to the director, which fall between the two extremes of Grimes the victim and Grimes the murderer, are manyfold, and over the years they have offered up many different and interesting interpretations.

Grimes Versus the Crowd

The director, David Radok, took a largely unambiguous approach. For him, Grimes is a victim who is unable to deal successfully with the pressures of the Borough’s intolerant, inward-looking and small-minded populace. When his apprentice, John, falls to his death in Act two, Radok makes it very clear that Grimes is innocent of his death and shines the light of blame directly onto the mob. Startled by the noise of the crowd approaching his house, he turns and lets go of the rope holding John as he climbs down the cliff, who falls to his death. Of course, he does not portray Grimes as wholly innocent; his violence, his inability to control his temper and his disinterest which verged on contempt for the community, were all clearly on view. By comparison with many other productions, however, he was a far more sympathetic character. And why not? Britten’s sympathies with Grimes are clearly evident in the music.

The tenor Joachim Bäckström produced a first-rate performance in the role and successfully captured Grimes’ sensitivities. He often came across as noble and reflective, which made his violent and coarse outbursts appear disjointed and wild, although never gratuitous. Rather, they were born of his frustrations, resulting from his inability to connect with and understand the wider community, and crowds do not take kindly to such people!

At least, the audience had little problem sympathizing with Bäckström’s Grimes, which made his assault on Ellen all the more shocking and dramatically pungent. Moreover, it was very difficult to believe that he had murdered any of the boys. The impression was reinforced by the beautiful and tender expressivity that Bäckström was able to imbue the vocal line, in which his own suffering, frustrations and sense of non-understanding were clearly wrought. His singing of “Now the Great Bear and the Pleiades” was sung in complete isolation in the pub, full of people. While the perplexed crowd looked on without any comprehension whatsoever of what Grimes was saying, he gave voice to his thoughts, totally unaware of their presence. It was a fine moment that showed off his sensitively crafted phrasing and pleasing timbre to good effect.

Radok’s treatment of the crowd, however, was unsympathetic. Clearly identifying it as the source of the problem, he took every opportunity to portray their intolerance, and the pressures they exert, on all around them to conform to their prejudices, values and views. He used their physical presence to menace people, and it was not just Grimes who fell victim; anyone who stepped outside the prescribed limits would be targeted. The well-meaning Ellen Orford was subjected to its rough treatment as they surrounded and closed in on her space, intimidating her for not sharing its view of Grimes. Mrs. Sedley was mocked by the crowd, not because of her vicious tongue or hypocrisy, but because she thought the pub and its customers were below her. There was no ambiguity in its part in the drama; if it were not for the crowd, John would not have fallen to his death.

His interpretation was supported by the chorus-master, Pavel Koñárek, who led the Janáčkovy Opera Chorus in a brilliantly sung performance that highlighted both its sentimental nature and its vicious intent, particularly in the Act three chorus “Who holds himself apart,” where they faced the audience and cried out “Peter Grimes” again and again with increasing ferocity.

Grimes’ Clearly Defined Relationships

Likewise, Radok’s portrayal and development of the other characters and their relationships, especially between Grimes and Ellen and Grimes and Balstrode, were expertly crafted to carry the narrative in a clear and dramatically strong manner that highlighted his interpretation.

Does Grimes love Ellen, or does he see her simply as a means of salvation? There was little on Grimes’ part to suggest any real love, but Jana Šrejma Kačírková’s Ellen was clearly committed to him. She stood up for him against the crowd; she suffered when she realized that Grimes was beating John; and her cry of pain when she understood that Balstrode was asking Grimes to take his own life was spine-chilling. It was an exceptionally strong performance that captured the roller coaster of her emotions. Moreover, her voice was perfect for the role. Her singing was secure, agile and expressive, topped by a beautiful, silvery upper register that positively shone. Even in the most dramatically intense moments, she sang without any sense of vocal anxiety. Her aria “Glitter of waves and glitter of sunlight,” sung against a choral background of parishioners in the church, not only showed off the tonal beauty of her voice and her delightful phrasing, but also its wonderful dexterity. Her confrontation with Grimes, which immediately followed, confirmed the quality of her expression as she articulated her concerns and inner conflict, in which her voice rang out, drenched with emotional strength.

Baritone Svatopluk Sem was an unsentimental, practical Balstrode who dealt fairly with Grimes, but who was more interested in bringing stability to the Borough. His singing was resonant, secure and forthright, successfully conveying the impression of a person of good standing within the community. His exchanges with Grimes were direct and explicit, clearly displaying that he felt no personal animosity towards him, but neither did he shirk from saying what he believed to be necessary.

The Borough’s gossip, Mrs. Sedley, was essayed by contralto Jitka Sapara Fischerová, who provided a compelling characterization that drew heavily upon the stereotype. She was a real busy body, always around, listening to and judging; nothing escaped her prying eyes. She sang with a great deal of versatility as she moved her voice effortlessly in order to capture a range of negative traits; sometimes she sounded haughty and hypocritical, at other times she coated the voice with a vicious curl, yet she always sounded judgmental.

The role of Auntie is based firmly on the traditional image of the pub landlady. She has to be cheerful, strong-willed and able to roll with the banter of the customers. It really needs to be played as a stereotype to work effectively. Unfortunately, mezzo-soprano Jana Hrochová did not quite capture the stereotype, and the character fell a little flat. She was not helped by her poor pronunciation of English. Musically, she sounded strong.

Baritone Jiří Hájek gave a nuanced performance as the apothecary Ned Keene, which allowed the character to move beyond the stereotypically loud-mouthed showoff by highlighting his intelligence and fundamental decency. His singing was secure and resonant, and his English intonation was excellent.

Bass Jan Štáva made an excellent impression in the role of Swallow. Possessing the necessary gravitas for the role, he sang with the necessary confidence and certainty for his position as a lawyer and as a man of authority. His voice has a pleasing, rounded quality, which he used expressively to bring the character to life.

The two nieces were played by sopranos Andrea Široká and Tereza Kyzlinková. As is normally the case, they acted out their part as a pair, both supporting and sparking off each other. They were frivolous and provocative, flirtatious and coquettish. Both gave solid singing performances.

Bob Boles is the typical religious hypocrite. All is correct on the surface, but after a few drinks, he is aggressive, lecherous and opinionated. Tenor Vít Nosek gave a convincing, animated performance, playing up all his character’s negative traits. He was a splendid drunk.

Bass David Nykl produced a strong, secure and confident reading of Hobson, while tenor Petr Levíček convinced as the weak-willed and ineffectual Reverend Horace Adams.

Yet what were we to make of the boy, John? He was certainly afraid of Grimes and did not want to be in his presence. Grimes did beat him; that much is certain. But was it possible to read more into this than just the reactions of a fragile child who finds himself in strange surroundings without anyone to turn to? This was a question that was left hanging and was probably the most ambivalent part of Radok’s interpretation.

A Strongly Designed Staging

Radok, who was also responsible for the scenery, created a set that was dominated by the sea. Across the back of the stage was a seascape, which changed in accordance with the lighting, sensitively designed by Přemysl Janda. As the tensions of the Borough rose and the mists blew in, the set darkened, and the sea became more menacing. It was a marvelous idea that acted on a number of levels: it successfully created the necessary claustrophobic atmosphere and reflected the depth and changing passions of Grimes, but it was also aesthetically pleasing in itself. A rail ran in front of the sea to create a promenade where the citizens of the Borough congregated, creating a sense of shared experience penned in by the sea.

The pub scene in Act one was carefully constructed so that as the storm raged, the people of the Borough, who have been forced to seek refuge inside, are constantly battling to keep the doors and windows closed and into ever closer contact with each other, allowing their shifting emotions to connect to the rising and falling of the storm.

Zuzana Ježková‘s costumes were taken from the mid-20^th century and neatly designed to reflect the characters’ roles and personalities. They sat sympathetically against Radok’s scenery and helped create a visually strong presentation that supported the connection between the narrative and psychology of Grimes and the crowd.

The conductor Marko Ivanović took a similar interpretation to that which he employed for Brno National Theatre’s production of “Salome,” in which he focused on promoting the dramatic nature of the work. He elicited strong dynamic contrasts from the Orchestra Janáčkovy Opera and sensitively managed the tensions over the course of the scenes to meet the needs of the onstage drama. It was a musically exciting reading with a strong forward momentum. And the second sea interlude was absolutely superb; it was certainly the best reading that I have heard. On the negative side, however, the textures were not always well-balanced. Individual sections would occasionally stand out in rude fashion and compromise the atmospheric effect. There was also a tendency to cut short the line in slower passages when it could have been extended to give the sound a deeper, fuller body.

Overall, this was an impressive production. The singing was excellent, the orchestral sound was dramatically strong and Radok’s reading was clearly focused to bring out the strength of the narrative, albeit one that downplayed many of the ambiguities that lie within the work, particularly in the case of Grimes himself, who was presented as the victim of the mob. It was, nevertheless, a captivating presentation, one that kept the audience engrossed throughout the evening.

The post Brno National Theater 2023-24 Review: Peter Grimes appeared first on OperaWire.

Ewa Plonka, Michal Lehotský, Veronika Hajnová, Miguelangelo Cavalcanti star in “Aida.” Maurizio Barbacini and Richard Hein conducts.

Performance Dates: TBD

Grischa Asagaroff will direct “Carmen,” conducted by Petr Poelka. Nana Dzidziguri and Ester Pavlů headline in the title role. Luis Gomes and Michal Lehotsky star as Don José.

Performance Dates: TBD

Tatjana directs “Così fan tutte” with Karsten Januschke conducting. Katerina Kneziková, Marie Fajtová, Michaela Zajmi, Petr Nekoranec, Boris Prýgl, Lukáš Bařák, and Arnheiður Eiríksdóttir star. Karsten Januschke and Jan Chalupecky conduct.

Premiere Date: Jan. 22, 2022

Barbora Horáková will direct a double bill of “Erwartung” and “Seven Deadly Sins,” also part of the “Musica non grata” series. Jiří Rožeň conducts while Dagmar Pecková and Petra Alvarez Šimková star.

Premiere Date: November 26 & 28 2021

The company will present the “Don Giovanni” starring Jiří Brückler and Pavol Kubáň alternating in the title role. They will be joined by Jana Sibera, Marie Fajtová, Jana Kurucová, Alzbeta Polácková, and Lucie Hájková, among others. Alexander Mørk-Eidem directs with Karsten Januschke and Jan Chalupecky conducting.

Performance Dates: August 28 – Oct. 24, 2021

“Die Zauberflöte” will star Jozef Benzin, Jan Stava, Jirí Sulzenko, Petr Nekoranec, Martin Srejma, Richard Samek, Marie Fajtová, Yukiko Kinjo, Katerina Kneziíková, and Markéta Böhmová star. Jaroslav Kyzlink and David Svec conduct.

Performance Dates: Sept. 4- Nov. 7, 2021

Erwin Schuloff’s “Flammen” will be directed by Calixto Bieito and conducted by Jirí Rozen. Tone Kummervold, Svetlana Sozdetaleva, Lucie Hájková, and Ivo Hrachovec are among the headliners.

Performance Date: June 12, 2022

Richard Hein conducts “Hänsel und Gretel” starring Jana Horáková Levicová, Katerina Jalovcová, Michaela Zajmi, Yukiko Kinjo, and Jana Sibera in the title roles.

Performance Dates: TBD

Petr Nekoranec, Adam Plachetka, and Arnheiður Eiríksdóttir headline “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.” Magdalena Švecová directs while Jaroslav Kyzlink and Jan Chalupecky conduct.

Performance Dates: Oct. 7- Nov. 23, 2021

Jaroslav Kyzlink conducts “Jenufå” with Eva Urbanová, Alzbeta Polácková, Peter Berger, and Richard Zamek headlining the cast.

Performance Dates: Oct. 15 – 21, 2021

There will also be a production of “Katja Kabanova” conducted by Jaroslav Kyzlink and directed by Calixto Bieito. Alzbeta Polácková and Petra Alvarez Simková take on the title role.

Premiere Date: Jan. 28, 2022

Zbynek Müller conducts “The Love of Three Oranges.” Zdenek Plech, Martin Srejma, and Andrea Tögel Kalivdová star.

Performance Dates: TBA

Fabián Lara, Matteo Desole, Remus Alazaroae, Alzbeta Polácková, and Petra Alvarez Simková star in “La Bohème.” Karl-Heinz Steffens and Jirí Strunc conduct.

Performance Dates: Oct. 2 – Nov. 11, 2021

“Le Nozze di Figaro” will be headlined by Milos Horák, Jan Stáva, Frantisek Zahradnícek, Adam Plachetka, Alzbeta Polácková, Marie Fajtová, Yukiko Kinjo, and Jana Sibera, among others.

Premiere Date: Nov. 16 – 25, 2021

Marie Fajtová, Jana Sibera, Jana Srejma Kacírková, and Simona Houda-Saturová headline “La Traviata.”

Premiere Date: Sept. 5 – Oct. 23, 2021

Jaroslav Kyzlink conducts “ Libuse” which will star Adam Plachetka, Dana Buresová and Iveta Jiríková.

Performance Dates: TBA

“Macbeth” will star Maxim Aniskin, Anda-Louise Bogza, Roman Vocel, and Martin Srejma.

Performance Dates: TBA

Svetlana Aksenova will headline “Madama Butterfly” with Maurizio Barbacini conducting.

Performance Dates: TBA

Barbora Horáková will direct a “controversial” production of “Rigoletto” based on the contemporary opera stage in a social media context. Daniel Luis de Vicente and Nikoloz Lagvilava take on the title role with Long Long, Alexander Mikhailov, Kyungho Kim as the Duke of Manta. Olga Jelínková and Marie Fajtová will perform as Gilda. Richard Hein and Vincenzo Milletrì conduct.

Premiere Date: Sept. 2 – Nov. 4, 2021

Pavel Cernoch, Ales Briscein, Richard Samek, and Peter Berger star as the prince while Maria Kobielska and Dana Bursová appear in the title role of “Rusalka” at the National Theatre.

Performance Dates: Sept. 17 – Oct. 31, 2021

Pavol Breslik, Richard Samek, and Peter Berger will appear as the Prince while Kateřina Kněžíková and Alzbeta Polácková alternate the title role in a production of “Rusalka” at the State Opera.

Performance Dates: Nov. 5 – Nov. 27, 2021

Sergyi Kostov and Vanda Sípová star in “Sternenhoch. Jan Bubák conducts.

Performance Dates: TBD

The Estates Theatre production of “The Bartered Bride” will star Dana Buresová, Jan Sibera, and Alzbeta Polácková.

Performance Dates: Sept. 1 – Nov. 24, 2021

The National Theatre production of “The Bartered Bride” will star Katerina Knezíková, Jan Sibera, and Alzbeta Polácková.

Performance Dates: May 26, 2022

“The Cunning Little Vixen” will star Jan Sibera, and Alzbeta Polácková, Martin Bárta, Svatopluk, Katerina Jalovcová, and Stanislava Jirku.

Performance Dates: Oct. 30 – Nov. 21, 2021

Dvorak’s “The Jacobin” will star Svatopluk Sem, Roman Janál, Zdenek Plech, Pavel Svingr, Maria Kobielska, Dana Buresová, and Ales Briscein.

Performance Dates: TBD

Petra Alvarez Šimková and Ewa Vesin take on the title role in “Tosca.” Fabián Lara and Pavel Cernoch alternate as Cavaradossi with Claudio Sgura and Krzysztof Szumanski as Scarpia.

Premiere Date: Sept. 12 – Nov. 20, 2021

Iveta Jiríková, Eliska Weissová, and Anda-Louise Bogza star in “Turandot.”

Premiere Date: TBD

Concerts

Tenor Pavel Cernoch leads a Dvorak gala that also stars Dana Buresová, Jaroslav Brezina, Katerina Knezíková, Maria Kobielska, Roman Janál, Alzbeta Polácková, Jirí Sulzenko, and Veronica Hajnová.

Performance Dates: Sept. 9, 2021

The company will also celebrate the 65th birthday of tenor Stefan Margita in a gala conducted by Jirí Strunc. Katerina Knezíková, Elena Zhidkova, and Adam Plachetka star.

Performance Date: Sept. 14, 2021

Finally, the Children’s Opera, led by Jirina Marková Krystlíková, will present “Opera is Fun.”

Performance Dates: Sept. 18 – Nov. 21, 2021

Musica Non Grata

“Musica non grata,” the company’s ongoing project will shift its attention to Alexander Zemlinsky to celebrate the 150th anniversary of his brith. The showcase will feature excerpts from many of his works, including the unfinished opera “Malva.” Stepánka Pucálková stars while Karl-Heinz Steffens conducts.

Premiere Date: Oct. 9, 2021

Jaroslav Brezina, Pavel Svingr, Miguelangelo Cavalcanti, Jana Sykorová, and Jana Sibera lead a concert dedicated to “Music by Terezín composers.” Olga Machonová Pavlu conducts.

Premiere Date: Oct. 24, 2021

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The post Pavol Breslik & Karita Mattila Highlight Janáček Brno Festival’s 2020 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

The opera will be staged in a new production by Jiří Heřman who is also the Artistic Director of Opera at the National Theatre Brno.

The famed opera will star Jana Šrejma Kačirková, Julie Šebestová, Václava Krejči Housková, Svatopluk Sem, Jan Šťáva, Petr Karas, Ondřej Koplik Jitka Zerhauová, Zdislava Bočková, Eva Štěrbová, Roman Hoza, and Daniel Straková-Šedrlová, among others.

The stream kicks off at 3 p.m. local time. That’s around 9 a.m. EDT and 6 a.m. PST for the start time. Repeat viewings will be available on the OperaVision website until May 17, 2019.

The streaming service is free through OperaVision, which, per its official website, is a project “supported by the European Union’s Creative Europe program, OperaVision builds on the success of The Opera Platform, with more contributing opera companies from more countries, under the editorial supervision of Opera Europa, the European association of opera companies and festivals.

“OperaVision brings together 30 partners from 18 countries and invites you to travel and discover the diversity of opera from wherever you want, whenever you want.”

Next up on OperaVision is the 100^th Anniversary Gala at the Latvian National Opera, which will star Marina Rebeka and Liudmyla Monastyrska, among others.

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