KATA_KABANOVA_SKLADACKA.QXD:Sestava 1 11/19/14 8:15 AM Stránka 1

NATIONAL MORAVIAN-SILESIAN THEATRE OPERA

Leoš Janáček (1854–1928) KÁŤA KABANOVÁ / Katya Kabanova So much love within me but so little for me…

Wioletta Chodowicz (Káťa) and Jana Sýkorová (Varvara) © Martin Popelář

Antonín Dvořák Theatre © Martin Popelář

Roman Sadnik (Tichon) and Wioletta Chodowicz (Káťa) © Martin Popelář

Jiří Myron Theatre © Martin Popelář

THE NATIONAL MORAVIAN-SILESIAN THEATRE

The National Moravian-Silesian Theatre (based in 1919) is the biggest and oldest professional theatre in Ostrava and the Moravian-Silesian region. The theatre has four artistic companies – opera, drama, ballet and operetta/musical, which regularly perform on two theatre scenes – the Antonín Dvořák Theatre (seating capacity of 517) and the Jiří Myron Theatre (seating capacity of 623). The theatre presents 16-19 premieres per year and plays almost 500 performances. The National Moravian-Silesian Theatre organises the festival of drama theatres OST-RA-VAR and also the event European Opera Days in Ostrava. The theatre also participates in NODO/New Opera Days Ostrava (biennial). Eva Urbanová (Kabanicha) © Martin Popelář Intendant: Jiří Nekvasil Music director of Opera: Robert Jindra November 23, 2014 The City of Ostrava as the founder of the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre operates as its most significant donor. In addition, the Moravian-Silesian Region and the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic are two other significant donors of the theatre. YEAR OF CZECH MUSIC www.ndm.cz – Brno and Ostrava Autumn Conference www.opera-europa.org

Arnold Bezuyen (Boris) © Martin Popelář KATA_KABANOVA_SKLADACKA.QXD:Sestava 1 11/19/14 8:15 AM Stránka 2

Leoš Janáček (1854–1928) Leoš Janáček (1854–1928) was a Czech composer, musi- SYNOPSIS cal theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by KÁŤA KABANOVÁ / Katya Kabanova Moravian and other Slavic folk music to create an original, ACT I modern musical style. MUSICAL PREPARATION ROBERT JINDRA The small Russian town of Kalinove', sometime in the 1860s. The young clerk Ván'a Kudrjás' rhapso- Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research CONDUCTOR ROBERT JINDRA dizes over the afternoon view of the Volga, to the amusement of the literal-minded housekeeper of the and his early musical output was influenced by contemporaries STAGE DIRECTOR JIŘÍ NEKVASIL adjoining Kabanov home. They see two men approaching — the overbearing merchant Dikoj and his such as Antonín Dvořák. His later, mature works incorporate SETS DANIEL DVOŘÁK nephew, Boris Grigorjevic' — and leave quickly as Dikoj continues his castigation of the young man. his earlier studies of national folk music in a modern, highly COSTUMES ZUZANA KREJZKOVÁ When the merchant discovers that Kabanicha, matriarch of the Kabanov family, is not at home, he original synthesis, first evident in the opera Jenůfa, which was MOTION CO-OPERATION JANA RYŠLAVÁ stalks off, leaving Boris to explain to his friend Ván'a why he puts up with such abuse: his parents are premiered in 1904 in Brno. The success of Jenůfa (often CHORUS MASTER JURIJ GALATENKO dead, and in order to collect his inheritance, he must treat his uncle with respect. As members of the DRAMATURGY DANIEL JÄGER called the "Moravian national opera") at Prague in 1916 gave Janáček access to the world's great opera stages. Janáček's Kabanov household return from vespers, Boris confesses to Ván'a that he is secretly in love with Kát'a, the young wife. The two men depart as old Kabanicha berates her son, Tichon, for his lack of Cast: later works are his most celebrated. They include operas such as Káťa Kabanová and The Cunning Little Vixen, the Sinfoni- attentiveness. He tries to please her, as does his wife, Kát'a, who tells the old woman they love Dikoj Richard Novák etta, the Glagolatic Mass, the rhapsody Taras Bulba, two and respect her. At a sharp reply from Kabanicha, Kát'a enters the house, soon followed by her Boris Arnold Bezuyen string quartets, and other chamber works. Along with Antonín mother-in-law, and Tichon's temper snaps at being told he spoils his wife. Tichon complains to Kabanicha Eva Urbanová Dvořák and Bedřich Smetana, he is considered one of the Varvara, foster daughter of the family, who retorts he would rather drink and forget his troubles than Leoš Janáček (1924) Tichon Roman Sadnik most important Czech composers stand up for Kát'a's rights. Káťa Wioletta Chodowicz Inside the house, Kát'a tells Varvara how free and happy she felt as a child, constantly dreaming. Even Kudrjáš Josef Moravec Operas by Leoš Janáček now, she admits, she has dreamed of having a lover. Before she can say more about the man who Jana Sýkorová Varvara attracts her, Tichon comes to say good-bye: he is leaving on a short trip to Kazan at his mother's Kuligin Roman Vlkovič Leoš Janáček counts among the first opera composers who used prose for his libretti, not verse. He even behest. Kát'a begs him not to go or else to take her along, but he refuses. When she asks him to Glaša Erika Šporerová wrote his own libretti to his last three operas. His libretti were translated into German by Max Brod. Fekluša Marianna Pillárová make her swear to speak to no strangers during his absence, he wonders what is wrong with her. Kabanicha announces that it is time to leave, adding that Tichon must tell his wife how to behave Pedestrian Petr Němec Šárka, libretto by Julius Zeyer (1887) • while he is gone. Tichon dutifully repeats that Kát'a must treat Kabanicha like her own mother and Woman Tatiana Pituchová • Počátek románu / The Beginning of a Romance, libretto by Jaroslav Tichý after Gabriela Preissová (1894) always act with propriety. Then he bows to his mother, kisses her and Kát'a and hurries away. Chorus and Orchestra of the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre Opera Její pastorkyňa, known in the English-speaking world as Jenůfa, libretto by the composer after Gabriela – concert masters Vladimír Liberda and Lucie Staňková • Preissová (1904) ACT II As the women work on embroidery, Kabanicha criticizes Kát'a for not making a display of grief over The opera is performed in Czech with English subtitles. • Osud / Destiny, libretto by Fedora Bartošová (1904) An interval of 20 minutes after the 2nd act. • Výlety páně Broučkovy / The Excursions of Mr. Brouček, libretto by Viktor Dyk and František Sarafín- Tichon's absence. After she has left, Varvara shows Kát'a the key to the far part of the garden: she ský Procházka (1920) plans to meet her lover there and hints that Kát'a might want to do the same, pressing the key into Opening night on 15th November, 2012 • Káťa Kabanová / Katya Kabanova, libretto by Vincenc Červinka, after Alexander Ostrovsky´s The her hand. Kát'a hesitates but decides that fate has willed it: she is going to meet Boris. As darkness at the Antonín Dvořák Theatre, Ostrava Storm (1921) approaches, she steps outside. Kabanicha reenters with the drunken Dikoj, who says she is the only • Příhody lišky Bystroušky / The Cunning Little Vixen, libretto by the composer, after Rudolf Těsnohlídek person he can talk to. He complains that people take advantage of his softheartedness: a peasant Wioletta Chodowicz (Káťa) and Arnold Bezuyen (Boris) and Stanislav Lolek (1924) recently angered him, but he ended up on his knees to ask the man's forgiveness. As he demon- © Martin Popelář • Věc Makropulos / The Makropoulos Affair, libretto by the composer, after Karel Čapek (1926) strates, blubbering, Kabanicha primly tells him to get hold of himself. Z mrtvého domu / From the House of the Dead, libretto by the composer, after Fyodor Dostoyevsky • Waiting for Varvara in the garden, Ván'a amuses himself with a song about an independent-minded (1927) young girl like his sweetheart. To his surprise, Boris appears, having received a message to come there. Varvara arrives, cheerfully picking up Ván'a's song, and they head for a walk by the river. When The opera Káťa Kabanová was largely inspired by Janáček's love for Kamila Stösslová. This is often Kát'a appears, Boris proclaims his love. She is hesitant at first, seeing only sin and ruin, but finally her "mature" opera, despite the fact that he was 67 pent-up feelings pour out, and she embraces him. They too go for a walk as Ván'a and Varvara return, when it was premiered. Káťa Kabanová is a clear Varvara explaining her precautions in case the old lady should look for any of them. As the rapturous response to Janáček's feelings for Kamila, and the voices of the second couple are heard, Ván'a and Varvara call to them that it's time to go home. work is dedicated to her. The first performance was in Brno on 23 November 1921. The opera has had ACT III a complex publication history. František Neumann, Ván'a and a friend, Kuligan, are walking near the river when an approaching storm drives them to shel- the conductor of the opera's first performance, made ter in a ruined building, where they are joined by other strollers. When Dikoj appears, Ván'a tries to changes that were incorporated into the 1922 conciliate him by talking about a new invention, the lightning rod, but this only angers Dikoj, who Universal Edition, the first publication of the score. insists storms are not electricity but God's punishment. When the rain lets up, people start to leave The conductor Václav Talich later produced a the shelter, and Ván'a runs into Boris and Varvara. The girl reports that Tichon is back, and Kát'a "reorchestrated" version of the score. In 1992, seems very upset. The men retreat as Kabanicha approaches with Tichon and Kát'a. Bystanders at Sir Charles Mackerras published a critical edition first assume that Kát'a is frightened by the returning storm, but she confesses to Tichon in front of of the opera. everyone that she dallied with Boris during her husband's absence. Then she runs out into the tempest. Premiere poster (1921) As evening approaches and the storm has passed, Tichon looks frantically for Kát'a at another spot Kamila Stösslová (1917) along the river bank. While they are helping him, Varvara and Ván'a decide to escape to Moscow, where they can lead a life of their own. As the searchers move off, Kát'a appears, aware that her confession served only to dishonor her and humiliate Boris. Her life is a constant torment, and she longs to see her lover one last time. He wanders in, surprised to find her, and they embrace. he says his uncle is sending him away to another town — but what will become of Kát'a? Her mind wandering, she bids him farewell. As he walks off in sorrow, she thinks how nature will renew itself over her grave, then throws herself into the river. On the far bank, Kuligan sees her jump and calls for help. Tichon rushes back, followed by Kabanicha, whom he blames for Kát'a's self-destruction. Meanwhile, bystanders fetch a boat and try to help. When Dikoj brings Kát'a's body and lays it on the ground, Tichon flings himself down, sobbing. Coldly, Kabanicha thanks the bystanders for their assistance.

Josef Moravec (Kudrjáš) and Richard Novák (Dikoj) © Martin Popelář