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New Production of Leoš Janáček's Jenůfa at Theater an der Wien

Feb. 15, 2022

A new production of Leoš Janáček's Jenůfa is performed from February 19-28 at the Theater an der Wien. The opera tells the harrowing tale of Jenůfa, 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. 

Marc Albrecht conducts and Lotte de Beer directs this new production, which features Svetlana Aksenova in the title role.


(Pavla Vykopalová sings "Salve Regina" from Janáček's Jenůfa/
National Theatre Brno/Marko Ivanović, conductor; Martin Glaser, director)

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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