Laca Klemeň
When a beautiful young woman in rural Moravia becomes unexpectedly pregnant, she learns that love is sometimes only skin-deep. Janáček took Gabriela Preissová's grim tale of infanticide and redemption, and condensed it into a masterful, spine-chilling drama. The tragic plight of the protagonists is presented with unsentimental realism that cannot help but trigger a response of deep compassion. Premiered at the National Theatre in the composer's hometown of Brno 115 years ago, the opera took him nine years to complete and is the first in which his distinctive voice can clearly be heard.
Vítek
Dalibor is based on events that took place in the 15th century: having led a peasant revolt, the Knight Dalibor of Kozojedy was imprisoned, by order of King Vladislav II of Bohemia, in a tower in Prague Castle that still bears the name “Daliborka” to this day. Legend has it that he learned to play the violin while he was incarcerated, and that the people passing by the tower would be moved on hearing his music.
A wise princess is asked to hear the case of two feuding brothers. When her judgement is called into question on account of her being a woman, she tries to maintain the peace by finding herself a husband. Smetana’s festival opera about the legendary founder of Prague was first performed to open the city’s new National Theatre in 1881. Now reserved for special occasions, this performance marks the centenary of the Czechoslovak proclamation of independence in Prague.
tenor (San Giovanni)
