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Lyric Opera of Chicago's Production of Janáček's Jenůfa Features a Luminous Cast

Nov. 29, 2023

This month, Lyric Opera of Chicago mounted a new production of Leoš Janáček's Jenůfa, featuring Lise Davidsen as Jenůfa and Nina Stemme as Kostelnička. Jakub Hrůša conducted the performances alongside Claus Guth (original director) and Axel Weidauer (revival director). One of Janáček's most popular and enduring works, the opera tells the harrowing tale of Jenůfa, the stepdaughter of the village sexton, Kostelnička. Based on Její pastorkyňa (Her Stepdaughter), a play by Czech writer and playwright Gabriela Preissová, Jenůfa has proven to be one of Janáček’s most enduring works. Unique in its starkly realistic, honest portrayal of its large cast, no one character is truly “good” or “bad”; rather the reality falls somewhere in between, much as it does in real life. 

Another distinct feature of the opera lies in its uncommon treatment of vocal melodies, which came about as a result of Janáček’s use of what he called “speech melody.” This concept was developed by the composer himself following years of studying Moravian folk tunes and speech patterns; it manifests itself in his operas as a heretofore-unseen integration of the rhythms, pitch contours, and inflections of conversational Czech into the musical line. 


Lise Davidsen and Pavel Černoch perform the finale from Janáček’s Jenůfa at the Lyric Opera of Chicago


For more information on Leoš Janáček, visit universaledition.com.

Leoš Janáček
Jenůfa (1894-1903/1908)
an opera in three acts, from Moravian peasant life 
Brno version, critical edition, edited by Sir Charles Mackerras and John Tyrrell
libretto (Cz) by Gabriela Preissová, after the play ‘Her Stepdaughter’
for 4 sopranos, 2 altos, 3 mezzo-sopranos, 2 tenors, baritone, bass and chorus (SATTBB)
3.3.3.3-4.2.3.1-timp.2perc-bells.hp-str - stage orchestra: 2hn.toy tpt-xyl.bells-str(1.1.1.1.1)
120'

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