NATIONAL MORAVIAN-SILESIAN THEATRE OPERA Bedřich Smetana (1824–1884) ČERTOVA STĚNA / The Devil’s Wall Comic-romantic opera in three acts Zdeněk Plech (Beneš) and Martin Bárta (Vok Vítkovic) © Daniel Jäger Antonín Dvořák Theatre © Martin Popelář Dana Burešová (Hedvika) © Daniel Jäger 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). Jan Vacík (Michálek) and Luciano Mastro (Jarek) © Daniel Jäger Intendant: Jiří Nekvasil Music director of Opera: Robert Jindra November 22, 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 Peter Mikuláš (Rarach) © Daniel Jäger Bedřich Smetana (1824–1884) Bedřich Smetana (1824–1884) was a Czech by the Countess. Lord Vok then laments that he will die alone and unhappy. Michálek replies that he composer who pioneered the development of a will find a hundred other eligible women. Jarek agrees and tells him to choose. The Devil whispers to musical style which became closely identified Lord Vok that Michálek has a lovely daughter. When asked, Michálek, intoxicated with the thought of ČERTOVA STĚNA / The Devil’s Wall with his country's aspirations to independent having such a noble son-in-law, presents his daughter Katuška. Jarek fears that she will betray their love statehood. He is thus widely regarded in his for riches and a higher station in life. Lord Vok asks her if she has pledged her heart to another. She MUSICAL PREPARATION ROBERT JINDRA homeland as the father of Czech music. Interna- replies that she has but refuses to divulge the name of the man. Meanwhile, the Devil is busy whispering CONDUCTOR MAREK PRÁŠIL tionally he is best known for his opera Prodaná in the ear of Michálek. Together they try to convince Katuška to seize upon the opportunity. Záviš asks STAGE DIRECTOR JIŘÍ NEKVASIL nevěsta (The Bartered Bride) a for the symphonic her to reveal the name of her betrothed. In answering, she runs into the arms of her dear Jarek. The Devil cycle Má vlast (My Country), which portrays the in the disguise of Father Beneš, offers to bless the couple, but Jarek reveals the oath he made earlier. SETS DAVID BAZIKA history, legends and landscape of the composer's In the background the Devil laughs as Michálek tries to get Lord Vok to go ahead and claim his daughter COSTUMES MARTA ROSZKOPFOVÁ native land. Smetana was naturally gifted as a pi- as his bride. Lord Vok asks Jarek if he did indeed swear such and oath, who replies that he did. Lord CHOREOGRAPHY IGOR VEJSADA anist, and gave his first public performance at the Vok then asks everyone to leave. Only Záviš and the Devil stay behind. In the guise of Father Beneš, age of six. After his conventional schooling, he the Devil says he will pray for Jarek’s soul then asks Lord Vok to make him abbot of the monastery that CHORUS MASTER JURIJ GALATENKO studied music under Josef Proksch in Prague. His Vok is building on the bank of the river. The request is granted. A messenger arrives with a scroll for DRAMATURGY DANIEL JÄGER first nationalistic music was written during the 1848 Lord Vok which is the last will of the now late Countess of Schauenberg. She has entrusted her or- Prague uprising, in which he briefly participated. phaned daughter, Hedvika, to him. Lord Vok dismisses the fake Father Beneš then tells Záviš of his love Cast: After failing to establish his career in Prague, he for Hedvika’s mother. The Devil then reappears in his Father Beneš guise to again ask to be made left for Sweden, where he set up as a teacher and abbot of the monastery now being built to honor the late Countess. Lord Vok assures him that the post choirmaster in Gothenburg, and began to write shall be his, then Lord Vok and his nephew depart. The real Father Beneš enters and is surprised to Vok Vítkovic, the Knight Marshal of the Czech Kingdom Martin Bárta large-scale orchestral works. During this period once again find himself looking at his double. The Devil then ridicules the monk who makes the sign of Záviš, his nephew Kateřina Jalovcová of his life Smetana was twice married; of six the cross. The Devil runs and hides behind a boulder. Father Beneš thinks he has won, but the Devil Jarek, knight in Vok´s service Luciano Mastro daughters, three died in infancy. ascends the rock and appears in his true demonic form. Horrified, Father Beneš runs away. In the early 1860s, a more liberal political climate Hedvika, countess of Schauenberg Dana Burešová in Bohemia encouraged Smetana to return per- Bedřich Smetana (1882) Act II Michálek, castellan of Rožmberk Jan Vacík manently to Prague. He threw himself into the Jarek is dressed in pilgrim’s clothes and asks for shelter for the night. The Devil now in the guise of an Katuška, hus daughter Petra Perla Nôtová musical life of the city, primarily as a champion of the new genre of Czech opera. In 1866 his first two old shepherd, warmly welcomes the haggard traveler and offers him supper. The Devil leaves. Jarek tries operas, Braniboři v Čechách (The Brandenburgers in Bohemia) and The Bartered Bride, were premiered to eat but all he wants is peace. He stares at the moon, unable to banish Katuška’s image from his mind Beneš, the hermit Zdeněk Plech at Prague's new Provisonial Theatre, the latter achieving great popularity. In that same year, Smetana and sings of his longing for her. In the background, the Devil’s laughter is heard and Jarek prays for Rarach, the devil Peter Mikuláš became the theatre's principal conductor, but the years of his conductorship were marked by controversy. peace before falling asleep. The Devil returns and sings of soon owning the young man’s soul, then Factions within the city's musical establishment considered his identification with the progressive transports the sleeping Jarek to Rožmberk Castle. There Michálek is lamenting over having lost the ideas of Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner inimical to the development of a distinctively Czech opera style. opportunity to have Lord Vok as his son-in-law. Katuška enters with the Devil, now in the disguise of Chorus and Orchestra of the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre Opera This opposition interfered with his creative work, and may have hastened the health breakdown which Father Beneš. She sees Jarek who is still asleep and she is overjoyed. Michálek asks her to reconsider – concert masters Vladimír Liberda and Lucie Staňková precipitated his resignation from the theatre in 1874. Lord Vok as her husband instead of this bedraggled wanderer. The bogus Father Beneš offers to talk By the end of 1874, Smetana had become completely deaf but, freed from his theatre duties and the some sense into the girl. Michálek leaves. Jarek awakes and is welcomed by Katuška. The Devil tells related controversies, he began a period of sustained composition that continued for almost the rest of them to stick together then he disappears. Lord Vok enters and is surprised to see Jarek, but gives him The opera is performed in Czech with English subtitles. his life. His contributions to Czech music were increasingly recognised and honoured, but a mental a warm welcome. Záviš describes Hedvika’s beauty and youth to Lord Vok. The flame of love is again An interval of 20 minutes after 1st and 2nd act. collapse early in 1884 led to his incarceration in an asylum and his subsequent death. ignited within the heart of the older man. A chorus welcoming the young woman is heard. Lord Vok Smetana's reputation as the founding father of Czech music has endured in his native country, where hides behind Jarek when Hedvika enters. She asks of the man who is to give her a home. Jarek steps Opening night on 12th June, 2014 at 6.30 pm advocates have raised his status above that of his contemporaries and successors. However, relatively aside to reveal Lord Vok whom, Hedvika recognizes. She expresses her thanks. Lord Vok welcomes her few of Smetana's works are in the international repertory, and most foreign commentators tend to regard as his daughter. The scene changes to Lord Vok and the real Father Beneš. Lord Vok tells of his love at the Antonín Dvořák Theatre, Ostrava Antonín Dvořák as a more significant Czech composer. for Hedvika and is reminded that he is to accept her as a daughter. The Devil emerges in a hermit’s disguise and throughout the scene whenever Father Beneš approaches and speaks the Devil retreats List of operas by Bedřich Smetana: and vise versa. The two silently threaten each other but Lord Vok sees only one of them at a time and Braniboři v Čechách / The Brandenburgers in Bohemia (1866), Prodaná nevěsta / The Bartered Bride considers both to be the same person.