Janáček’s landmark opera and international triumph
A poignant masterpiece on humanity

Despite its successful premiere in Brno in 1904, Janáček’s Jenůfa endured an arduous struggle from its provincial existence to the international stage. The opera was stowed away for 12 years before its debut in Prague, all because of Janáček’s candid criticism of Karel Kovařovic, the then director of the National Theatre.

Set in rural Moravia, the opera questions the choices we make when blinded by love and pride. Jenůfa is caught up in a scandalous affair, leading to the murder of her illegitimate newborn by her overprotective stepmother. As destruction and redemption hinge precariously on love, Jenůfa surmounts the triple ordeal of a disfigured face, a traumatised past and a future in guilt and shame; and she achieves this with the dignity of a true heroine.

While Janáček evoked his native Moravian world with folk-inspired melody modelled upon Czech speech rhythms, Jenůfa remains a universal story of humanity that resonates beyond time. This compelling recorded production by the Brno National Theatre was bestowed the Czech Crystal Award in the Stage Work Recordings category in 2020.

^{Approx 2 hrs
Performed in Czech, with Chinese and English subtitles}

Composer and Librettist
Leoš Janáček 

Conductor
Marko Ivanović

Director
Martin Glaser

Set Designer
Pavel Borák 

Costume Designer
Markéta Sládečková

Lighting Designer
Martin Špetlík

Choreographer
Mário Radačovský

 

Jenůfa
Pavla Vykopalová

Kostelnička
Szilvia Rálik

Laca Klemeň
Jaroslav Březina

Števa Buryja
Tomáš Juhás

 

With Orchestra and Chorus of the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno

Read the House Programme

Jenůfa: Behind-the-scenes

"In the footsteps of Leoš Janáček" Documentary

"Into the Czech Lands" Online Exhibition