National Theatre Brno

The plot takes us to a village where Jeník and Mařenka live, two young people who love each other. However, Mařenka is to marry the son of a rich farmer, Mícha, to whom her father is in debt. However, the young girl is not going to just give up her love and refuses to marry the chosen groom. Jeník is clever and uses the matchmaker Kecal. However, he and Mařenka do not tell each other about their plans and the whole thing gets a bit confusing... Ondřej Havelka has created a masterfully played musical theatre that is based on beautiful folk traditions, but at the same time has found a unique perspective on the entire opera. It takes place not, as is usually the case, in the summer during the harvest festival, but during the time of Masopust, or as we call it in Moravia, Fašanka! So you can look forward not only to comedians in the 3rd act, but also to a series of genuine Moravian Fašanka masquerades.

Without borders or beyond? How long will the true love of Rosina and Almaviva, which was supposed to be forever, last, and when will the innocent flirtation with Cherubino turn into something much more serious? Where are the boundaries in human relationships… After the successful production of Handel's Alcina, director Jiří Heřman and I will set out to discover the beauties of Mozart's music and his opera, which enjoys unwavering popularity all over the world. And it is no wonder, because The Marriage of Figaro, in addition to brilliant and sparkling music that will sweep you away with its incessant flow similar to a mountain stream, also boasts an almost dramatic libretto. And how could it not, when the basis for Da Ponte was the play of the same name by the excellent French playwright Pierre de Beaumarchais.

A timeless tragic story of a courtesan hoping for the happiness of true love. For a brief moment it seems so close, but it is only a dream. A chamber drama in the classic direction of Zbyněk Srba.

How high is the price for trying to be a good ruler and build a great empire? The basis of Verdi's opera is the Old Testament story of the captivity of the Jewish people by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar and their desire to return to their homeland. A story that still does not lose its power and relevance, and whose personification is the famous chorus "Va, pensiero, sull'alidorate" (Fly, thought, on wings of gold...). Like other Verdi works, however, Nabucco also hides another, more intimate layer about love, the two sisters Fenena and Abigail and their conflict for the love of their beloved man and father. Verdi portrayed everything with the feeling of a true playwright, and the music full of immediacy, passion and temperament rightly captivates the audience to this day.

At the beginning was a short novella by the French writer Prosper Merimée about Don José, who deserted the army due to a foolish passion for a wild gypsy woman, became a smuggler and a murderer. Carmen, directed by Tomáš Pilar, returns to the original story and reveals additional layers of individual characters - the characters here are mainly people who came from completely different backgrounds. It is not just about Carmen's fleeting and unbridled love, which the jealous José cannot cope with. It is a clash of two worlds - the orderly, neat world of José and Micaëla, bound by predetermined rules, and the world of gypsies and smugglers living from day to day, without laws and controlled by momentary impulses. Their worlds suddenly intersect, but this difference causes tension and a clash that leads to the complete destruction of both of them. Neither of them is able to prevent it, because neither is willing or able to back down.

Who doesn't know Figaro, the barber who not only gives you a beautiful haircut, but also willingly helps you with love troubles. Enjoy Rossini's brilliant melodies in a classic production in the style of commedia dell'arte directly from the Italian team. The young Count Almaviva has fallen in love with the beautiful girl Rosina and wants to marry her. But the older doctor Bartolo, who is Rosina's guardian, is also interested in her and especially her dowry. Fortunately, Almaviva's old acquaintance - the barber Figaro - appears on the scene. He is always ready with some little intrigue or disguise and, after a series of crazy situations, he finally wins the hand of his beloved for Almaviva. Who would have expected that one of the most famous and popular operas in the world would enter the stage amid a major scandal. The audience's boos, a black cat on stage, an out-of-tune guitar. Whatever could go wrong, did go wrong, but nothing could take away the beauty of Rossini's sparkling melodies and the wit of the brilliant libretto. And so, even today, theatergoers can expect virtuoso singing performances and melodies that will have you humming on the way home.

Two worldviews, one border between them – one embodies reason and light, the other is elemental, dark and irrational. One night, a charismatic shepherd arrives at the Christian court of King Roger, disrupting the established order of Christian values ​​and worldview. Does his teaching bring joy and goodness or only destruction and chaos? The opera King Roger by Polish composer Karol Szymanowski does not offer a clear answer; he himself described it as a mystery whose theme is man’s self-knowledge, his sexuality and spirituality.

Daddy, how is a bride sold? How did you come to know that someone would sell a bride, Hurvínek? Well, I read here: The National Theatre in Brno is performing Bedřich Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride. So how is it, Daddy? Well, you know, it's just like... how should I put it to you... it's a trick to buy a bride for yourself. So now I'm a fool - is it being sold or bought? You know what, Hurvajz, take Žeryk and Mánička and we'll go to the opera, it'll be easier than explaining it to you!

Daddy, how is a bride sold? How did you come to know that someone would sell a bride, Hurvínek? Well, I read here: The National Theatre in Brno is performing Bedřich Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride. So how is it, Daddy? Well, you know, it's just like... how should I put it to you... it's a trick to buy a bride for yourself. So now I'm a fool - is it being sold or bought? You know what, Hurvajz, take Žeryk and Mánička and we'll go to the opera, it'll be easier than explaining it to you!

Workshop for 1st – 5th grade elementary school What, but especially who, is needed to create an opera performance? And what would it be like if children became set designers, costume designers, or even an orchestra for a while? We will find out together at the workshop How to Make an Opera! So what will we experience together: Getting to know the opera genre and some opera works. We will find out who works in the opera. We will try out some professions. We will learn selected theatrical terms. We will sing.

Daddy, how is a bride sold? How did you come to know that someone would sell a bride, Hurvínek? Well, I read here: The National Theatre in Brno is performing Bedřich Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride. So how is it, Daddy? Well, you know, it's just like... how should I put it to you... it's a trick to buy a bride for yourself. So now I'm a fool - is it being sold or bought? You know what, Hurvajz, take Žeryk and Mánička and we'll go to the opera, it'll be easier than explaining it to you!

Workshop for 1st – 5th grade elementary school What, but especially who, is needed to create an opera performance? And what would it be like if children became set designers, costume designers, or even an orchestra for a while? We will find out together at the workshop How to Make an Opera! So what will we experience together: Getting to know the opera genre and some opera works. We will find out who works in the opera. We will try out some professions. We will learn selected theatrical terms. We will sing.

Take a Step Behind the Curtain with us. A program designed for all curious people, young and old, who want to learn something new from the world of opera theater. 70 minutes of interactive, adventurous and, above all, fun journey into the heart of opera productions with the soloists, choir and orchestra of Janáček's opera NdB.

Bedřich Smetana originally thought of a comic opera with librettist Eliška Krásnohorská. In the end, while composing his last completed opera, the composer found moments in the romantic text, inspired by an old legend about a wall of stones built by the devil on the river by the Vyšehrod monastery, that gave the whole story a different tone. Smetana's isolation in Jabkenice and his dismal health and depression were reflected in the individual characters, and the comicalness was replaced by the depth of their feelings. The humor did not disappear either, but it is combined with the desire for love, life wisdom, melancholy and devilish temptation, so that the main tone was a celebration of love, loyalty and dedication.

Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.

Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.

Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.

Where did opera originate? What is a libretto? Who is a stage manager? And what does a set designer need to know? You will learn this and much more at our workshop. Participants will learn about the opera genre, the process of creating a production, the operation of the theatre and the professions that work in the theatre. It also includes a taste of opera singing. Participants will experience several activities that will give them a glimpse into the workings of an opera theatre, the opera genre and its demands. The workshop also includes a short tour of the Janáček Theatre.

Music in the main role, that's how Dvořák's opera Jakobín could be summed up, because it is precisely it that can change the fate of all the characters in the opera. At the same time, Dvořák created a charming picture of a Czech town from the Enlightenment era populated by quirky figures of the music-loving teacher Benda, his stubborn daughter Terinka in love with the young teacher Jiřík, or the cocky burgrave Filip. Perhaps it was a fond memory of the circumstances of his own youth that brought so many charming, rich melodies, both playful and melancholic, to Dvořák's music, be it the famous scene of the school cantata, the duet "We wandered abroad" or Juliet's lullaby. What better opera to start the season falling under the Year of Czech Music with than Jakobín, which is Dvořák's tribute to Czech music and the people who love it above all else.

Bedřich Smetana originally thought of a comic opera with librettist Eliška Krásnohorská. In the end, while composing his last completed opera, the composer found moments in the romantic text, inspired by an old legend about a wall of stones built by the devil on the river by the Vyšehrod monastery, that gave the whole story a different tone. Smetana's isolation in Jabkenice and his dismal health and depression were reflected in the individual characters, and the comicalness was replaced by the depth of their feelings. The humor did not disappear either, but it is combined with the desire for love, life wisdom, melancholy and devilish temptation, so that the main tone was a celebration of love, loyalty and dedication.

The production by one of the world's best opera directors, Robert Carsen, had a successful premiere at the Janáček Brno Festival 2016. His productions, with their outstanding individual poetics, dramaturgical restraint and emotional, lively and extremely impressive theatre, have been in the repertoire of the most important opera houses for many years, be it La Scala in Milan, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Glyndebourne Festival in England or the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Káťa Kabanová is one of Carsen's five productions of Janáček's operas and was originally created for the Flemish Opera. Since its premiere, it has been performed in more than 20 opera houses around the world and it is no wonder that the production with its impressive scenography, where the water surface covers the entire stage and reflects Káťa's emotions and tragic fate, is one of Carsen's best works.

How to sell a bride? Best through a production by director Ondřej Havelka. One of the most popular Czech operas, The Bartered Bride by Bedřich Smetana, has been in the repertoire of the Brno theatre for more than eighteen years and has still not lost any of its wit or audience popularity.

Perhaps none of the participants in the Venetian premiere, which was a devastating fiasco, believed that they had just witnessed the birth of one of the most popular and most performed Italian operas. Verdi found a theme close to him in the novel about the love of the courtesan Violetta and Alfredo, which is not desired by his father or society. He knew the setting well – Paris, a city full of hustle and bustle, was never his favorite, and the tragic story reminded him of his own life experience. For years he had lived in a free union with the soprano Giuseppina Strepponi and felt firsthand the society's opposition to the "illegal" relationship. His personal experience undoubtedly enhanced the understanding and compassion for the main heroine, which permeate the entire opera... The clear lyrical music, where Italian bel canto is closely combined with dramatic expression, added poignancy to the tragic love story of the famous Parisian courtesan, thus giving rise to an opera evergreen.

The production by one of the world's best opera directors, Robert Carsen, had a successful premiere at the Janáček Brno Festival 2016. His productions, with their outstanding individual poetics, dramaturgical restraint and emotional, lively and extremely impressive theatre, have been in the repertoire of the most important opera houses for many years, be it La Scala in Milan, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Glyndebourne Festival in England or the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Káťa Kabanová is one of Carsen's five productions of Janáček's operas and was originally created for the Flemish Opera. Since its premiere, it has been performed in more than 20 opera houses around the world and it is no wonder that the production with its impressive scenography, where the water surface covers the entire stage and reflects Káťa's emotions and tragic fate, is one of Carsen's best works.

Bedřich Smetana originally thought of a comic opera with librettist Eliška Krásnohorská. In the end, while composing his last completed opera, the composer found moments in the romantic text, inspired by an old legend about a wall of stones built by the devil on the river by the Vyšehrod monastery, that gave the whole story a different tone. Smetana's isolation in Jabkenice and his dismal health and depression were reflected in the individual characters, and the comicalness was replaced by the depth of their feelings. The humor did not disappear either, but it is combined with the desire for love, life wisdom, melancholy and devilish temptation, so that the main tone was a celebration of love, loyalty and dedication.

Is Verdi's famous Nabucco just an opera about the desire for freedom? Jiří Heřman's production offers an engaging look at the story of the Babylonian king and the Jewish nation. It focuses on family relationships and King Nebuchadnezzar himself. The opera, full of magnificent choirs and captivating singing parts, has been one of the most popular titles in our repertoire for 35 years.

After the successful production of Handel's Alcina, director Jiří Heřman and I will set out to discover the beauties of Mozart's music and his opera, which enjoys unwavering popularity all over the world. And it is no wonder, because The Marriage of Figaro, in addition to brilliant and sparkling music that will sweep you away with its unceasing flow similar to a mountain stream, also boasts an almost dramatic libretto. And how could it not, when the basis for Da Ponte was the play of the same name by the outstanding French playwright Pierre de Beaumarchais.

Daddy, how is a bride sold? How did you come to know that someone would sell a bride, Hurvínek? Well, I read here: The National Theatre in Brno is performing Bedřich Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride. So how is it, Daddy? Well, you know, it's just like... how should I put it to you... it's a trick to buy a bride for yourself. So now I'm a fool - is it being sold or bought? You know what, Hurvajz, take Žeryk and Mánička and we'll go to the opera, it'll be easier than explaining it to you!

Daddy, how is a bride sold? How did you come to know that someone would sell a bride, Hurvínek? Well, I read here: The National Theatre in Brno is performing Bedřich Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride. So how is it, Daddy? Well, you know, it's just like... how should I put it to you... it's a trick to buy a bride for yourself. So now I'm a fool - is it being sold or bought? You know what, Hurvajz, take Žeryk and Mánička and we'll go to the opera, it'll be easier than explaining it to you!

Would you also like to know what it's like to sell a bride? Smetana's The Bartered Bride is one of the iconic opera pieces, but this time we decided to bring it closer to children in particular. And because comic opera should really be fun, the members of the Janáček Opera NdB have invited the best possible guides to join them. In the new family program, the famous puppet characters Spejbl, Hurvínek and Mánička will take you directly to The Bartered Bride and the world of opera. Žeryk will also be present, as will the best musical pieces, because the popular puppets will be assisted by the soloists of the Janáček Opera NdB together with our special Smetana mini-orchestra.

Workshop for 1st – 5th grade elementary school What, but especially who, is needed to create an opera performance? And what would it be like if children became set designers, costume designers, or even an orchestra for a while? We will find out together at the workshop How to Make an Opera! So what will we experience together: Getting to know the opera genre and some opera works. We will find out who works in the opera. We will try out some professions. We will learn selected theatrical terms. We will sing.

Where did opera originate? What is a libretto? Who is a stage manager? And what does a set designer need to know? You will learn this and much more at our workshop. Participants will learn about the opera genre, the process of creating a production, the operation of the theatre and the professions that work in the theatre. It also includes a taste of opera singing. Participants will experience several activities that will give them a glimpse into the workings of an opera theatre, the opera genre and its demands. The workshop also includes a short tour of the Janáček Theatre.

We are from Bohemia and you ask if we can sing? An unknown couple from abroad arrives in a small Czech village and most of the locals watch them with distrust. Only the old teacher Benda, a music lover, opens his door to them, only to discover that the foreigners are closer to them than they might seem.

The composer found inspiration for the work, which premiered in 1924, during his trip to the island of Sicily, a place rich in monuments of ancient and oriental culture and early Christian art. Perhaps this is why the historical figure of King Roger II, who ruled here in the 12th century and at whose court Christian and Arab culture and philosophy intertwined, became the center of Szymanowski's opera. Likewise, thanks to the composer's fascination with antiquity and the exoticism of the Orient, elements of not only Impressionism but also Arabic music are reflected in his music.

A human soul, a pure human soul! The water fairy Rusalka longs for life above the water, for love and a human soul. The Witch knows the way, but the price is high – Rusalka loses the ability to speak, but what good is speech if she is just a wave on the surface for her beloved prince... However, the world of people turns out to be cruel and full of betrayal, which even her pure love cannot overcome.