Janáček: Příhody Lišky Bystroušky Act 1 interlude 1

The first of several wonderful orchestral interludes in this opera, in this production it is accompanied by a dance sequence depicting the Forester's boys' rough treatment of the young Vixen.

The Vixen is Janáček's most singular work and in many ways it is also his most charming. Based on a cartoon series by Rudolf Tĕsnohlídek which appeared in 1920 on the newspaper Lidové noviny, drawings by Stanislav Lolek, it tells the Tale of the Vixen Sharp-ears (the literal translation of the Czech title Příhody Lišky Bystroušky). Though it could be argued that the opera follows in the tradition of the German Märchenoper nevertheless the musical language and themes explored make it unique in the entire operatic repertoire. The parallel lives of the animals, who get on with the business of living (and dying), and the humans, who seem to live in a permanent state of regret and paralysis, unfolds in a rich tapestry of musical invention where Janáček uses musical material notated from nature to create a forest of sounds. Many of the climatic moments of the opera are orchestral rather than vocal and the opera is an inviting challenge for directors, singers and choreographer. The final message of the opera is, of course, optimistic, as is always the case with Janáček, celebrating the renewal of life in nature: the final words are given to a frog who says to the Forester "No, I'm not the one you think, that was my granddad, he spoke a lot about you".
As in Kat'a Kabanova the Vixen has autobiographical inspiration in Janáček's muse Kamila Stösslová who is represented in two characters: the Vixen and Terinka the illusive gypsy girl whom the schoolmaster loves from a distance.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Leos
• Janáček
• Příhody
• Lišky
• Bystroušky
• Cunning
• little
• Vixen
• Mackerras
• Allen
• Jenis
• Minutillo
• Kusnjer
• Novak
• Fuchslein
• ballet
• opera
• classical
• Czech
• Moravia