Events

The most famous fox on the opera stage is surely the one from Brno—Janáček’s Vixen! She is captivating and kind, surrounded by children and their toys as they playfully transform the Forester’s house into a forest and themselves into woodland creatures.

Every opera by Janáček is unique, and *The Cunning Little Vixen*—where the human and animal worlds intertwine on stage—is unparalleled in the genre. Janáček sought a theme that reflected his worldview and the eternal cycle of life; thus, his Vixen dies at the hands of the poacher Harašta. Yet, there is another little vixen... life goes on. That is how it should be—a sentiment echoed by Janáček’s music, which is lyrical and melodic, with an orchestra teeming with the colors of the Bílovice woods and the creatures inhabiting them. Everything sparkles with humor—humor that is prickly in true Janáček fashion, yet ultimately kind-hearted.

Rudolf Těsnohlídek, the author of the original literary work, founded the beautiful tradition of the "Republic’s Christmas Tree"; the discovery of a little girl named Liduška in the forest just before Christmas served as one of the inspirations for the vixen’s story and for Leoš Janáček himself. This influence is reflected in the production by director Jiří Heřman: "The inspiration came from Těsnohlídek’s noble idea to build the Dagmar Children’s Home, which is where we have set our production. We unfold the story of the Vixen through the eyes of children."

Premiere: November 17, 2018, at the Janáček Theatre

Performed in the original Czech with Czech, English, and German surtitles.

The production is suitable for children aged 6 and up.

Antonín Dvořák: Mazurkas, Op. 56, B. 111

Leoš Janáček: On an Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17

Leoš Janáček: Con moto

Leoš Janáček: Allegro

Leoš Janáček shared a bond of friendship, admiration, and musical understanding with Antonín Dvořák, who was thirteen years his senior.

Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904) devoted himself to piano composition more intensively than Janáček. This was due in part to the interest music publishers showed in his piano works, particularly around 1880. It was in that very year that Dvořák composed a cycle of six piano mazurkas. While he was by no means the only composer inspired by this Polish national dance, unlike Chopin, for instance, he treated the genre with greater restraint—though still with a very rich melodic quality. To this day, the Mazurkas remain among Dvořák’s finest piano stylizations.

The most famous fox on the opera stage is surely the one from Brno—Janáček’s Vixen! She is captivating and kind, surrounded by children and their toys as they playfully transform the Forester’s house into a forest and themselves into woodland creatures.

Every opera by Janáček is unique, and *The Cunning Little Vixen*—where the human and animal worlds intertwine on stage—is unparalleled in the genre. Janáček sought a theme that reflected his worldview and the eternal cycle of life; thus, his Vixen dies at the hands of the poacher Harašta. Yet, there is another little vixen... life goes on. That is how it should be—a sentiment echoed by Janáček’s music, which is lyrical and melodic, with an orchestra teeming with the colors of the Bílovice woods and the creatures inhabiting them. Everything sparkles with humor—humor that is prickly in true Janáček fashion, yet ultimately kind-hearted.

Rudolf Těsnohlídek, the author of the original literary work, founded the beautiful tradition of the "Republic’s Christmas Tree"; the discovery of a little girl named Liduška in the forest just before Christmas served as one of the inspirations for the vixen’s story and for Leoš Janáček himself. This influence is reflected in the production by director Jiří Heřman: "The inspiration came from Těsnohlídek’s noble idea to build the Dagmar Children’s Home, which is where we have set our production. We unfold the story of the Vixen through the eyes of children."

Premiere: November 17, 2018, at the Janáček Theatre

Performed in the original Czech with Czech, English, and German surtitles.

The production is suitable for children aged 6 and up.

Leoš Janáček: On an Overgrown Path, JW VII/18 (choreography: Mário Radačovský)

Leoš Janáček: In the Mists, JW VIII/22

Leoš Janáček: Capriccio, JW VII/12 / for piano left hand and chamber wind ensemble (choreography: Megumi Nakamura)

Janáček’s body of work, deeply rooted in folk music, also encompasses the piano—arguably the composer’s most intimate instrument.

The first set of the piano cycle *On an Overgrown Path*—a collection of poetic miniatures—was created in stages between 1900, 1908, and 1911. Janáček composed five pieces for the cycle in 1900, at the age of 46. They were originally published as short pieces for harmonium in the *Slavic Melodies* (*Slovanské melodie*) series, issued by the teacher Emil Kolář from Ivančice. The expansion of the cycle was facilitated by editor Jan Branberger, who arranged for the publication of the pieces with the Prague-based publisher Bedřich Kočí in 1908. This publishing interest prompted Janáček to compose additional movements; the cycle eventually grew to ten pieces, to which the composer assigned poetic titles. These small, intimate miniatures, which evoke some of the composer’s personal memories, are today counted among his best-known and most frequently performed works.

"Roots" is the theme of the festival’s 10th edition, and the premiere performance by the Brno-based ensemble focuses precisely on this concept. Through a site-specific production at the Besední dům—a venue inextricably linked to Janáček’s role in Brno’s cultural life—we will return to the very beginnings of the Maestro’s operatic output.

The opera *Šárka* exists in two forms: the 1887 version, which Janáček completed only as a piano reduction, and the revised, fully orchestrated version from 1925. While both versions will be presented at the festival, director Jiří Heřman has chosen the original 1887 form for his project; this allows him to immerse the audience within the Besední dům in the midst of the dramatic clash between men and women—a conflict that culminates in tragedy. The piano part will be performed by the outstanding British pianist Julius Drake, an artist well known to festival audiences from previous years as a brilliant interpreter of Janáček’s music.

"Roots" is the theme of the festival’s 10th edition, and the Brno-based ensemble’s premiere performance focuses precisely on that concept. Through a site-specific production at the Besední dům—a venue inextricably linked to Janáček’s role in Brno’s cultural life—we will return to the very beginnings of the Maestro’s operatic output.

The opera *Šárka* exists in two forms: the 1887 version, which Janáček completed only as a piano reduction, and the 1925 version, which was revised and fully orchestrated. While both versions will be presented at the festival, director Jiří Heřman has chosen the original 1887 form for his project; this allows him to place the audience right in the midst of the dramatic clash between men and women—a conflict that culminates in tragedy—within the setting of the Besední dům. The piano part will be performed by the outstanding British pianist Julius Drake, whom festival audiences know well from previous years as a brilliant interpreter of Janáček’s music.

Janáček was inspired to write his first opera by the work of Julius Zeyer, a prominent Czech poet and playwright. The musical drama *Šárka* was published in installments in the magazine *Česká Thalie* in January and February 1887. In it, Zeyer adapted the fourth part of his epic poem *Vyšehrad* into an opera libretto, originally intending it for Antonín Dvořák. When the text failed to capture Dvořák’s interest, Zeyer decided to publish it in the magazine instead—thereby catching the attention of another composer.

A journey to the roots and beyond.

Chant and polyphonic vocal works from the late 16th-century Příbor Hymnal—a unique manuscript featuring a Czech repertoire that captivated even Leoš Janáček. The program includes Gregorian chant—as Janáček sang it during his years as a choral scholar in Old Brno—alongside his earliest Latin compositions.

Musical layers spanning centuries intertwine within the complex spaces of the Yellow Hill Water Reservoirs—a venue where past and present converge to create a unique acoustic experience.

Meditation – Yoga Techniques and Sound Therapy (30 minutes)
An introductory meditation sequence combining breathing exercises, gentle movement, and sound stimulation using instruments. The aim is to open the body and mind, preparing them for a profound musical experience.

Instructors: Dominika Kvardová and Lucie Tomanová

Music Therapy Concert (60 minutes)
Mindful listening, breathwork, deep relaxation, and musical imagination techniques. The session also incorporates a sensitive exploration of the "inner child" theme.

Narration, script, and musical programming: Lucie Hradilová

Barbara Tolarová – violin
Terezie Saxová – violin
Kateřina Kurandová – viola
Katarína Madariová – cello
Dominika Kvardová – harp

A journey to the roots and beyond.

Chant and polyphonic vocal works from the late 16th-century Příbor Hymnal—a unique manuscript featuring a Czech repertoire that captivated even Leoš Janáček. The program includes Gregorian chant—as Janáček sang it during his years as a choral scholar in Old Brno—alongside his earliest Latin compositions.

Musical layers spanning centuries intertwine within the complex spaces of the Yellow Hill Water Reservoirs—a venue where past and present converge to create a unique acoustic experience.

This production by Robert Carsen—one of the world’s leading opera directors—premiered successfully at the 2016 Janáček Brno Festival. Distinguished by a unique poetic quality, tight dramatic cohesion, and emotionally charged, vivid, and deeply moving theatricality, Carsen’s productions have long graced the stages of the world’s most prestigious opera houses, including La Scala in Milan, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Glyndebourne Festival, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. *Káťa Kabanová* is one of Carsen’s stagings of Janáček’s operas; originally created for the Flemish Opera, it has since been performed in over twenty opera houses worldwide. It is little wonder that this production—featuring striking set design in which a sheet of water covers the entire stage, mirroring Káťa’s emotions and tragic fate—ranks among Carsen’s finest works.

When Leoš Janáček began considering Ostrovsky’s drama *The Storm* as the basis for a new opera in early 1919, his sixty-fifth birthday was approaching. Much had changed in his life over the preceding three years: he had finally achieved international acclaim, and in the summer of 1917, while in Luhačovice, he had met Kamila Stösslová—the muse who would inspire his greatest masterpieces. His choice of a subject from Russian literature is unsurprising, as is his selection of Ostrovsky’s *The Storm*; the play’s central theme—the tragedy of the protagonist Káťa, oppressed by social conventions—resonated deeply with Janáček. Janáček created the libretto himself, using a Czech translation of *The Storm*, and significantly altered the original—reducing the number of characters and acts while focusing primarily on the drama of the female protagonist. In doing so, he created one of his most intimate works. He entrusted the first performance—the world premiere—to the National Theatre in Brno, where the opera was presented on November 23, 1921, at the Na Hradbách Theatre. It met with extraordinary success, followed a year later by a production in Prague and soon after by performances abroad.

An experiential workshop on the music and legacy of Leoš Janáček for children and parents.

What was the story and musical world of Leoš Janáček like?

In this workshop, we will trace the path of Janáček’s life, explore how his personal experiences influenced his music, and discover his work and sources of inspiration through creative, interactive activities.

The workshop is suitable for children in primary school (ages approx. 6–11).

The workshop takes place on the rehearsal stage of the Janáček Theatre; please enter via the staff entrance, where the instructor will meet participants at the reception desk.

Duration: approx. 2 hours
Price: 200 CZK per child + 1 accompanying adult free of charge
Capacity: 20 participants

This production by Robert Carsen—one of the world’s leading opera directors—premiered successfully at the 2016 Janáček Brno Festival. Distinguished by a unique poetic quality, tight dramatic cohesion, and emotionally charged, vivid, and deeply moving theatricality, Carsen’s productions have long graced the stages of the world’s most prestigious opera houses, including La Scala in Milan, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Glyndebourne Festival, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. *Káťa Kabanová* is one of Carsen’s stagings of Janáček’s operas; originally created for the Flemish Opera, it has since been performed in over twenty opera houses worldwide. It is little wonder that this production—featuring striking set design in which a sheet of water covers the entire stage, mirroring Káťa’s emotions and tragic fate—ranks among Carsen’s finest works.

When Leoš Janáček began considering Ostrovsky’s drama *The Storm* as the basis for a new opera in early 1919, his sixty-fifth birthday was approaching. Much had changed in his life over the preceding three years: he had finally achieved international acclaim, and in the summer of 1917, while in Luhačovice, he had met Kamila Stösslová—the muse who would inspire his greatest masterpieces. His choice of a subject from Russian literature is unsurprising, as is his selection of Ostrovsky’s *The Storm*; the play’s central theme—the tragedy of the protagonist Káťa, oppressed by social conventions—resonated deeply with Janáček. Janáček created the libretto himself, using a Czech translation of *The Storm*, and significantly altered the original—reducing the number of characters and acts while focusing primarily on the drama of the female protagonist. In doing so, he created one of his most intimate works. He entrusted the first performance—the world premiere—to the National Theatre in Brno, where the opera was presented on November 23, 1921, at the Na Hradbách Theatre. It met with extraordinary success, followed a year later by a production in Prague and soon after by performances abroad.

František Neumann: Pan, Op. 29 / melodrama for narrator and piano

Leoš Janáček: Taras Bulba, JW VI/15 / arrangement by Břetislav Bakala for piano four-hands

Leoš Janáček: Mládí (Youth), JW VIII/10 / arrangement by Břetislav Bakala for piano (two hands)

Leoš Janáček: Sinfonietta, JW VI/18 / arrangement by František Jílek for piano four-hands

The concert is dedicated to three of the most significant conductors of Janáček’s music active at the National Theatre in Brno (later known as the Provincial Theatre and the State Theatre in Brno); two of them also created piano arrangements of Janáček’s works.

The Faculty of Music at JAMU regularly presents a specially curated student program to audiences at the Janáček Festival, showcasing student artistic activities in an unconventional format. Moreover, the event offers a glimpse into the specific environments of various study disciplines—spaces typically unseen by the average concertgoer. Attendees thus have the opportunity not only to hear performances by young artists but also to explore different parts of the faculty—ranging from the JAMU concert hall and student stage areas to truly unconventional locations, including the school’s corridors—all accompanied by the music of these young artists.

Claude Debussy: Trois chansons de Bilitis, L. 97

Dmitri Shostakovich: Spanish Songs, Op. 100

Reynaldo Hahn: Venezia (selections)

Luciano Berio: Quattro canzoni popolari

Benjamin Britten: Folk Song Arrangements, Vol. 2 (selections)

Manuel de Falla: Siete canciones populares españolas

The recital explores the fascinating interplay between the internal and external perspectives through song literature and folk song arrangements that transcend cultural boundaries.

Antonín Dvořák: Piano Trio No. 4 "Dumky", Op. 90, B. 166

Leoš Janáček: String Quartet No. 1 "Kreutzer Sonata" (inspired by Leo Tolstoy), JW VII/8

Dmitri Shostakovich: Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57 

Piano Trio No. 4 in E minor "Dumky", Op. 90, composed in 1890–1891, ranks among the most original and beloved works in Antonín Dvořák’s (1841–1904) chamber music repertoire. While the composer had adhered to the classical sonata form in his earlier trios, here he departed from it entirely to create a unique six-movement cycle based on the *dumka*—a Ukrainian dance characterized by abrupt shifts in mood. The composition captivates the listener with the contrast between pensive, melancholic passages and unbridled, rhythmically spirited joy. It is precisely this emotional volatility and deep grounding in folk inspiration that make the "Dumky" a work of immense inner strength, in which Dvořák masterfully blended his melodic inventiveness with an unconventional musical structure.

Leoš Janáček’s (1854–1928) String Quartet No. 1 "Kreutzer Sonata" (inspired by Leo Tolstoy) dates from 1923. However, its origins trace back to 1908, when Janáček composed a Piano Trio—now lost—inspired by the same short story by Tolstoy. Its protagonist is a woman terrorized by her despotic and pathologically jealous husband, at whose hands she is ultimately tormented to death. "I had in mind a poor woman—tormented, beaten, beaten to death," said Janáček, describing a motif that runs like a common thread through many of his other works. With its passionate expression, the quartet penetrates to the very core of human emotion and into the most intimate realms of the human soul. The work achieved success soon after its 1924 premiere and, even after more than a century, remains one of the most compelling pieces in the quartet genre.

The complete presentation of Janáček’s operas during the festival’s 10th edition offers a unique opportunity not only to enjoy his masterpieces but also to discover works rarely seen on stage today. Alongside Janáček’s debut, *Šárka*, these include his second opera, *The Beginning of a Romance* (*Počátek románu*), a piece strongly influenced by the period when the composer was deeply interested in folklore. The libretto was based on a short story of the same name by Gabriela Preissová—herself inspired by a genre painting by Jaroslav Věšín—and was written by Janáček’s colleague from the grammar school, František Rypáček (publishing under the name Jaromír Tichý), after Eliška Krásnohorská had declined the task.

The simple love story of Poluška, a village girl, and Adolf, a young man from the gentry—a romance that meets with disapproval from Adolf’s parents—is filled with music derived from Janáček’s own transcriptions of folk music. Janáček himself described the opera as a *vaudeville*, a genre characterized by a simple plot accompanied by popular (i.e., folk) tunes—in this case, including folk dances. The premiere, conducted by the composer himself, took place in Brno on February 10, 1894, and brought Janáček his first theatrical success. By that time, however, he was already working on *Jenůfa* (*Její pastorkyňa*); in that work, he discovered a distinctive musical language and ultimately embarked on a path vastly different from the one outlined in *The Beginning of a Romance*.

There are few significant or famous ballets from the Classical and Romantic eras that are not part of our company’s repertoire. We are including *Giselle*—a masterpiece of Romantic ballet and, without exaggeration, a cornerstone of the ballet canon—in our performance schedule.

The premiere of the new ballet *Giselle* took place in Paris in 1841; it was such a resounding success that, within a decade, it had been staged at all the major venues of the ballet world. The subject matter was drawn from the German poet Heinrich Heine’s collection *De l’Allemagne*. The story—concerning young women who die of betrayed love before their weddings and subsequently find no peace in the grave—was adapted by Théophile Gautier, a leading theorist of Romantic theatre, and librettist Jules Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges. Adolphe Adam composed the poignant, enchanting, and melodic score, which is imbued with French charm. The first interpreter of the fragile Giselle was Carlotta Grisi, one of the greatest dancers of the Romantic era; the ballet was created specifically for her by choreographers Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. In the Czech lands, *Giselle* won over audiences only gradually. It did not reach the Brno stage until the late 1960s, when choreographer Miroslav Kůra presented it there for the first time (1968). Audiences also fondly remember Jiří Blažek’s 1983 production—which enjoyed a run of over a hundred performances—featuring the unforgettable, ethereal ballerinas Soňa Zejdová and, later, Jana Kosíková in the title role.

Scars on the soul are worse than scars on the face.

*Jenůfa* (originally titled *Her Stepdaughter*) is one of Janáček’s most celebrated works and a staple of the Brno Opera’s repertoire. It originated from a realistic drama by Gabriela Preissová, which the composer himself adapted into an opera libretto. Although he had to significantly condense the original text, he succeeded in further intensifying the impact of this tragic story set in the Moravian countryside. The characters include the profligate and fickle Števa; the hot-tempered yet fundamentally kind Laca; and, above all, the relentless Kostelnička, whose desperate need to preserve her status and respect within the village community drives her to murder the infant of her stepdaughter, Jenůfa. Janáček (1854–1928) captured these characters with a masterful, chilling dramatic conciseness that simultaneously evokes our compassion and understanding. The work’s final form—shaped by the death of the composer’s daughter, Olga—was the result of a long and arduous journey. Following its successful premiere in Brno in 1904, *Jenůfa* had to wait twelve long years before Janáček’s efforts were finally crowned with well-deserved success on other stages, both at home and abroad.

Leoš Janáček: Jealousy (Introduction to *Jenůfa*), JW VI/10

Antonín Dvořák: The Wild Dove, symphonic poem, Op. 110, B 198

Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 in E-flat major "Romantic", WAB 104 

Composing the opera *Jenůfa* took Leoš Janáček (1854–1928) more than eight years. At the very beginning of this process, in February 1895, the composer wrote a symphonic introduction to the opera titled *Jealousy*. Rather than conceiving this short piece as an operatic overture in the traditional sense, he envisioned it as a kind of introductory motto or a reflection on one of the work's fundamental narrative themes. Janáček drew inspiration from the text of the Moravian folk song "The Jealous Man" (*Žárlivec*), which he had set to music a few years earlier as a male chorus. *Jealousy* marks the first full crystallization of Janáček’s distinctive style, characterized by its terseness and dramatic tension. The work premiered on November 14, 1906, in Prague, performed by the Czech Philharmonic under the baton of conductor František Neumann.

There are few significant or famous ballets from the Classical and Romantic eras that are not part of our company’s repertoire. We are including *Giselle*—a masterpiece of Romantic ballet and, without exaggeration, a cornerstone of the ballet canon—in our performance schedule.

The premiere of the new ballet *Giselle* took place in Paris in 1841; it was such a resounding success that, within a decade, it had been staged at all the major venues of the ballet world. The subject matter was drawn from the German poet Heinrich Heine’s collection *De l’Allemagne*. The story—concerning young women who die of betrayed love before their weddings and subsequently find no peace in the grave—was adapted by Théophile Gautier, a leading theorist of Romantic theatre, and librettist Jules Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges. Adolphe Adam composed the poignant, enchanting, and melodic score, which is imbued with French charm. The first interpreter of the fragile Giselle was Carlotta Grisi, one of the greatest dancers of the Romantic era; the ballet was created specifically for her by choreographers Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. In the Czech lands, *Giselle* won over audiences only gradually. It did not reach the Brno stage until the late 1960s, when choreographer Miroslav Kůra presented it there for the first time (1968). Audiences also fondly remember Jiří Blažek’s 1983 production—which enjoyed a run of over a hundred performances—featuring the unforgettable, ethereal ballerinas Soňa Zejdová and, later, Jana Kosíková in the title role.

Leoš Janáček: Moravian Folk Songs for Piano, JW VIII/23

Pavel Haas: Folk Songs for Piano, HW VII/14

Václav Kaprál: Miniatures, 5 Pieces for Piano

Leoš Janáček: In the Mists, JW VIII/22

Leoš Janáček: 1. X. 1905

Leoš Janáček’s (1854–1928) cycle of fifteen arrangements of Moravian folk songs for piano represents an intriguing neo-folklorist parallel to the Romantic "Songs Without Words" by Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Edvard Grieg, or Janáček’s favorite, Anton Rubinstein. Janáček composed the cycle between 1921 and 1922 at the request of Otakar Nebuška from the Prague publishing house Hudební matice Umělecké besedy; however, it was not published during the composer's lifetime. Janáček’s folk song arrangements are aphoristic miniatures rendered in a modern style that bears his distinctive signature.

Scars on the soul are worse than scars on the face.

*Jenůfa* (originally titled *Her Stepdaughter*) is one of Janáček’s most celebrated works and a staple of the Brno Opera’s repertoire. It originated from a realistic drama by Gabriela Preissová, which the composer himself adapted into an opera libretto. Although he had to significantly condense the original text, he succeeded in further intensifying the impact of this tragic story set in the Moravian countryside. The characters include the profligate and fickle Števa; the hot-tempered yet fundamentally kind Laca; and, above all, the relentless Kostelnička, whose desperate need to preserve her status and respect within the village community drives her to murder the infant of her stepdaughter, Jenůfa. Janáček (1854–1928) captured these characters with a masterful, chilling dramatic conciseness that simultaneously evokes our compassion and understanding. The work’s final form—shaped by the death of the composer’s daughter, Olga—was the result of a long and arduous journey. Following its successful premiere in Brno in 1904, *Jenůfa* had to wait twelve long years before Janáček’s efforts were finally crowned with well-deserved success on other stages, both at home and abroad.

Darius Milhaud: Tango des Fratellini, Op. 58c (from the ballet *Le Boeuf sur le toit*)

Bohuslav Martinů: Eight Preludes, H. 181 (selection)

Igor Stravinsky: Piano-Rag-Music

George Gershwin: "Song-Book" for piano (selection)

The ballet *Le Boeuf sur le toit* (The Ox on the Roof)—originally conceived as musical accompaniment for the silent slapstick comedies of Charlie Chaplin—was composed by Darius Milhaud (1892–1974) between 1919 and 1920, two years after his return from Brazil. Milhaud infused the score with Brazilian folk melodies and the rhythms of the tango, samba, and other Latin American dances. He dedicated the piano piece *Tango des Fratellini*—which he later adapted from the ballet score—to the Fratellini brothers, a trio of clowns who performed at the Cirque Medrano in Paris and were popular among the city's intellectuals during the 1920s.

Emil František Burian: String Quartet No. 4

Béla Bartók: String Quartet No. 2, Sz. 67, BB 75

Leoš Janáček: Quartet for Two Violins, Viola, and Cello ("Intimate Letters"), JW VII/13

Emil František Burian (1904–1959) ranks among the most interesting and versatile figures of the Czech interwar avant-garde. He distinguished himself not only as a prolific composer, actor, singer, and writer but, above all, as a theatre and film director who championed innovative artistic approaches. Janáček’s music influenced not only Burian’s music-dramatic works but also left its mark on his chamber compositions. Burian’s String Quartet No. 4 was written in 1947, a period when the composer was recovering from the aftermath of his imprisonment in Nazi concentration camps. The quartet serves as a powerful and moving personal testament, alternating between passages of deep introspection and melancholy and moments of overt irony and harshness.

Immortality is a curse.

The story of the singer Emilia Marty, who has lived for over three hundred years thanks to an elixir of life… A glimpse into the eccentric world of opera divas, degenerate nobility, and shallow petty bourgeois. In February 2017, the Janáček Opera presented this production at the Hong Kong Arts Festival. It was created in co-production with the Gothenburg Opera.

Join us for *A Step Behind the Curtain*. This program is designed for curious minds of all ages—young and old alike—who wish to learn something new about the world of opera.

Embark on a 70-minute interactive, adventurous, and—above all—entertaining journey into the heart of opera productions, featuring soloists, the chorus, and the orchestra of the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno (NdB).

This educational program is suitable for secondary schools. *A Step Behind the Curtain* is an ideal way to integrate music education with Czech language studies or aesthetics.

Introduce students to Leoš Janáček in a fun and engaging way. Let them experience Janáček firsthand!

What is Janáček’s story? How did he live and create? Which places in Brno are linked to him, and how did his personal life shape the music he composed? This two-hour educational workshop takes place on the rehearsal stage of the Janáček Theatre and guides students through the milestones of Janáček’s life and work using entertaining activities.

Practical information:

Workshop designed for primary school students (grades 4–6).
Program duration: 2 hours.
Workshop fee: 2,000 CZK for up to 20 participants; an admission fee of 100 CZK applies for each additional person.
Arrival via the Janáček Theatre staff entrance.
Please ensure students wear comfortable clothing, as the program involves sitting on the floor, creative activities, etc.
To book the program, please contact the opera education specialist: Klára Mazlová (mazlova@ndbrno.cz, +420 607 089 755).

OH HUMANITY!

An existential one-act opera

Oh Humanity! The final cry of a witness to a cataclysmic disaster. There comes a point when it is simply too much. Pierre (perhaps Petr, perhaps you or me) has seen too much. Nothing remains but helplessness. He can bear to see no more, feel no more. And so, he shuts down... And then? Another disaster.

What is right, and what makes us heroes? The answer may well be waiting at Borodino.

HERE LIES AN ISLAND

A comic one-act opera based on the apocryphal tales of Karel Čapek

Three renowned figures—Don Juan, Hamlet, and Napoleon—find themselves shipwrecked on the shores of a mythical island of gold, abundance, and infinite possibilities. But what happens when they confront boundless freedom and are given the chance to rewrite their own stories? Will they finally find what they crave? Will they remain true to themselves?

Josef Suk: A Fairy Tale, Op. 16 / suite for large orchestra based on themes from the music for Julius Zeyer’s dramatic fairy tale *Radúz and Mahulena*

Leoš Janáček: *Šárka* (concert performance), JW I/1 / opera in three acts based on the music drama by Julius Zeyer 

Cast:
Šárka: Mária Porubčinová
Ctirad: Aleš Briscein
Přemysl: Svatopluk Sem
Lumír: Daniel Matoušek

A mere ten years separate Janáček’s first opera and Suk’s *A Fairy Tale*. They are linked not only by the figure of the writer, playwright, and poet Julius Zeyer but also by Slavic mythology.

The complete presentation of Janáček’s operas during the festival’s 10th edition offers a unique opportunity not only to enjoy his masterpieces but also to discover works rarely seen on stage today. Alongside Janáček’s debut, *Šárka*, these include his second opera, *The Beginning of a Romance* (*Počátek románu*), a piece strongly influenced by the period when the composer was deeply interested in folklore. The libretto was based on a short story of the same name by Gabriela Preissová—herself inspired by a genre painting by Jaroslav Věšín—and was written by Janáček’s colleague from the grammar school, František Rypáček (publishing under the name Jaromír Tichý), after Eliška Krásnohorská had declined the task. The simple love story of Poluška, a village girl, and Adolf, a young man from the gentry—a romance that meets with disapproval from Adolf’s parents—is filled with music derived from Janáček’s own transcriptions of folk music. Janáček himself described the opera as a *vaudeville*, a genre characterized by a simple plot accompanied by popular (i.e., folk) tunes—in this case, including folk dances. The premiere, conducted by the composer himself, took place in Brno on February 10, 1894, and brought Janáček his first theatrical success. By that time, however, he was already working on *Jenůfa* (*Její pastorkyňa*); in that work, he discovered a distinctive musical language and ultimately embarked on a path vastly different from the one outlined in *The Beginning of a Romance*.

The complete presentation of Janáček’s operas during the festival’s 10th edition offers a unique opportunity not only to enjoy his masterpieces but also to discover works rarely seen on stage today. Alongside Janáček’s debut, *Šárka*, these include his second opera, *The Beginning of a Romance* (*Počátek románu*), a piece strongly influenced by the period when the composer was deeply interested in folklore. The libretto was based on a short story of the same name by Gabriela Preissová—herself inspired by a genre painting by Jaroslav Věšín—and was written by Janáček’s colleague from the grammar school, František Rypáček (publishing under the name Jaromír Tichý), after Eliška Krásnohorská had declined the task. The simple love story of Poluška, a village girl, and Adolf, a young man from the gentry—a romance that meets with disapproval from Adolf’s parents—is filled with music derived from Janáček’s own transcriptions of folk music. Janáček himself described the opera as a *vaudeville*, a genre characterized by a simple plot accompanied by popular (i.e., folk) tunes—in this case, including folk dances. The premiere, conducted by the composer himself, took place in Brno on February 10, 1894, and brought Janáček his first theatrical success. By that time, however, he was already working on *Jenůfa* (*Její pastorkyňa*); in that work, he discovered a distinctive musical language and ultimately embarked on a path vastly different from the one outlined in *The Beginning of a Romance*.

In Leoš Janáček’s opera *Káťa Kabanová*, the protagonist is trapped in a dark web of relationships. Her domineering mother-in-law, Kabanicha, controls her son Tichon, whose marriage to Káťa is severely strained under this domination. Finding no fulfillment within the family, Káťa turns to a secret love affair with Boris.

Acting as his own librettist, Janáček condensed the plot of Alexander N. Ostrovsky’s drama *The Storm*, deliberately omitting extensive social commentary. Instead, he creates a musical language of extraordinary psychological nuance that traces Káťa’s inner evolution. Her feelings of guilt and mental anguish intensify, culminating in a public confession—an emotional storm that sweeps everything away.

Director Krzysztof Warlikowski views Káťa as an outcast denied the chance to live in harmony with her desires—a woman who ultimately chooses death over a life of hypocrisy. In this Munich production, the set design, lighting, and video projections amplify both Káťa’s inner landscape and the social constraints that hem her in.

OH HUMANITY!

An existential one-act opera

Oh Humanity! The final cry of a witness to a cataclysmic disaster. There comes a point when it is simply too much. Pierre (perhaps Petr, perhaps you or me) has seen too much. Nothing remains but helplessness. He can bear to see no more, feel no more. And so, he shuts down... And then? Another disaster.

What is right, and what makes us heroes? The answer may well be waiting at Borodino.

HERE LIES AN ISLAND

A comic one-act opera based on the apocryphal tales of Karel Čapek

Three renowned figures—Don Juan, Hamlet, and Napoleon—find themselves shipwrecked on the shores of a mythical island of gold, abundance, and infinite possibilities. But what happens when they confront boundless freedom and are given the chance to rewrite their own stories? Will they finally find what they crave? Will they remain true to themselves?

There are few significant or famous ballets from the Classical and Romantic eras that are not part of our company’s repertoire. We are including *Giselle*—a masterpiece of Romantic ballet and, without exaggeration, a cornerstone of the ballet canon—in our performance schedule.

The premiere of the new ballet *Giselle* took place in Paris in 1841; it was such a resounding success that, within a decade, it had been staged at all the major venues of the ballet world. The subject matter was drawn from the German poet Heinrich Heine’s collection *De l’Allemagne*. The story—concerning young women who die of betrayed love before their weddings and subsequently find no peace in the grave—was adapted by Théophile Gautier, a leading theorist of Romantic theatre, and librettist Jules Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges. Adolphe Adam composed the poignant, enchanting, and melodic score, which is imbued with French charm. The first interpreter of the fragile Giselle was Carlotta Grisi, one of the greatest dancers of the Romantic era; the ballet was created specifically for her by choreographers Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. In the Czech lands, *Giselle* won over audiences only gradually. It did not reach the Brno stage until the late 1960s, when choreographer Miroslav Kůra presented it there for the first time (1968). Audiences also fondly remember Jiří Blažek’s 1983 production—which enjoyed a run of over a hundred performances—featuring the unforgettable, ethereal ballerinas Soňa Zejdová and, later, Jana Kosíková in the title role.

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Missa brevis

Pavel Křížkovský: Graduale in Dominica Resurrectionis

Leoš Janáček: Exaudi Deus, JW II/4

Johann Sebastian Bach: Magnificat, BWV 243

The choir loft of the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Old Brno is a place closely linked to the childhood and youth of Leoš Janáček. He sang there regularly as a chorister and later held the position of choir director. His teacher—the choir director and head of the Augustinian Abbey’s musical foundation, Pavel Křížkovský—was a major proponent of "Cecilianism." This was a reform movement in church music that aimed to strip away Classical and, above all, Romantic accretions; to revive Gregorian chant; to perform works from the turn of the 17th century; and to compose music in a style akin to that of Palestrina. The young Leoš Janáček shared this same passion for the movement. It is hardly surprising, then, that both Křížkovský and subsequently Janáček presented works in the Old Brno choir loft not only by contemporary exponents of Cecilianism but also by composers such as Orlando di Lasso and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Ecclesiastical modes also influenced Janáček’s own musical thinking. Palestrina—serving as a kind of archetype of church music—also influenced the work of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Luboš Fišer: Dreams and Waltzes
Béla Bartók: Romanian Dances, Op. 8a, BB 56
Igor Stravinsky: Valse pour les enfants
Igor Stravinsky: Tango
Frédéric Chopin: Mazurkas (selection)
Bedřich Smetana: Czech Dances, Sets I and II (selection)
Johann Sebastian Bach: Partita in B-flat major, BWV 825

Although the name Luboš Fišer (1935–1999) often brings to mind his film scores, he also garnered international acclaim as a composer of orchestral, choral, and chamber music. In addition to eight remarkable piano sonatas, he composed *Dreams and Waltzes* (1993) for the instrument; this work employs a postmodern approach, combining a Chopin-esque dreaminess with banal waltz melodies.

Luboš Fišer: Dreams and Waltzes
Béla Bartók: Romanian Dances, Op. 8a, BB 56
Igor Stravinsky: Valse pour les enfants
Igor Stravinsky: Tango
Frédéric Chopin: Mazurkas (selection)
Bedřich Smetana: Czech Dances, Sets I and II (selection)
Johann Sebastian Bach: Partita in B-flat major, BWV 825

Although the name Luboš Fišer (1935–1999) often brings to mind his film scores, he also garnered international acclaim as a composer of orchestral, choral, and chamber music. In addition to eight remarkable piano sonatas, he composed *Dreams and Waltzes* (1993) for the instrument; this work employs a postmodern approach, combining a Chopin-esque dreaminess with banal waltz melodies.

"Roots" is the theme of the festival’s 10th edition, and the premiere performance by the Brno-based ensemble focuses precisely on this concept. Through a site-specific production at the Besední dům—a venue inextricably linked to Janáček’s role in Brno’s cultural life—we will return to the very beginnings of the Maestro’s operatic output.

The opera *Šárka* exists in two forms: the 1887 version, which Janáček completed only as a piano reduction, and the revised, fully orchestrated version from 1925. While both versions will be presented at the festival, director Jiří Heřman has chosen the original 1887 form for his project; this allows him to immerse the audience within the Besední dům in the midst of the dramatic clash between men and women—a conflict that culminates in tragedy. The piano part will be performed by the outstanding British pianist Julius Drake, an artist well known to festival audiences from previous years as a brilliant interpreter of Janáček’s music.

Immortality is a curse.

The story of the singer Emilia Marty, who has lived for over three hundred years thanks to an elixir of life… A glimpse into the eccentric world of opera divas, degenerate nobility, and shallow petty bourgeois. In February 2017, the Janáček Opera presented this production at the Hong Kong Arts Festival. It was created in co-production with the Gothenburg Opera.

"Roots" is the theme of the festival’s 10th edition, and the premiere performance by the Brno-based ensemble focuses precisely on this concept. Through a site-specific production at the Besední dům—a venue inextricably linked to Janáček’s role in Brno’s cultural life—we will return to the very beginnings of the Maestro’s operatic output.

The opera *Šárka* exists in two forms: the 1887 version, which Janáček completed only as a piano reduction, and the revised, fully orchestrated version from 1925. While both versions will be presented at the festival, director Jiří Heřman has chosen the original 1887 form for his project; this allows him to immerse the audience within the Besední dům in the midst of the dramatic clash between men and women—a conflict that culminates in tragedy. The piano part will be performed by the outstanding British pianist Julius Drake, an artist well known to festival audiences from previous years as a brilliant interpreter of Janáček’s music.

A unifying thread runs through all of Leoš Janáček’s compositions: profound humanity and original form. This applies perhaps most strongly to his final two major works—the opera *From the House of the Dead* and the *Glagolitic Mass*. The former offers a concise glimpse into the souls of prisoners, while the latter provides a distinctive expression of faith set to an Old Church Slavonic text. The Janáček Brno 2022 festival saw a unique pairing of these works; presenting the *Glagolitic Mass* in a staged format as a continuation of *From the House of the Dead* imbues both pieces with a new message regarding the power of faith in humanity.

The prisoners live in the brutal conditions of a Siberian penal colony; behind every name lies a harrowing human destiny—misfortune and wickedness, yet also a spark of hope. Bit by bit, in brief vignettes, Leoš Janáček tells their stories in this singular final work. A brilliant creator and master of concision, Janáček captures the essence of humanity within a compact scope. Despite the grim conclusion, the score of *From the House of the Dead* begins with the inscription: "In every creature, a spark of God!" This idea links his final opera to the equally unique *Glagolitic Mass*. As Janáček himself put it: "Here, I wanted to capture faith in the nation’s certainty—not on a religious foundation, but on a strong moral one that calls upon God as a witness."

The Brno Philharmonic Orchestral Academy is a project that enables talented young musicians—students or recent graduates of music schools selected through an audition process—to gain orchestral experience within a professional ensemble. Through this initiative, the Philharmonic cultivates new generations of players who may one day join its ranks. The Academy has completed six seasons, and the results are already evident: some alumni have become members of our orchestra, while others regularly return to perform as guest players. The significance and value of this experience for the artistic growth of young musicians and for the future of the orchestra are thus indisputable.

Brno Philharmonic
Conductor: Patrik Červák
Hosts: Kristýna Drášilová and Vítězslav Mikeš
Script and Direction: Kristýna Drášilová

We are already familiar with the orchestra—we know how powerful it can sound and why it needs a conductor to keep it all together. But what actually lies within? What instruments make up its colorful world? Who takes the lead, and who waits patiently for their big moment? And can an orchestral musician simply sit wherever they please?

The Family Subscription series takes you into the inner workings of the musical system known as the orchestra. Together, we will discover how the various sections interact, who sets the tempo, who carries the melody, and who builds tension in the background. We will learn that every instrument plays an indispensable role—and that even silence can be charged with anticipation.

This year, you don’t have to remain mere listeners! We invite you to join forces with our orchestra: young listeners can prepare alongside their teachers, while adults are encouraged to dust off their instruments. Let’s experience together that unique feeling of being part of an orchestra.

Brno Philharmonic
Conductor: Patrik Červák
Hosts: Kristýna Drášilová and Vítězslav Mikeš
Script and Direction: Kristýna Drášilová

We are already familiar with the orchestra—we know how powerful it can sound and why it needs a conductor to keep it all together. But what actually lies within? What instruments make up its colorful world? Who takes the lead, and who waits patiently for their big moment? And can an orchestral musician simply sit wherever they please?

The Family Subscription series takes you into the inner workings of the musical system known as the orchestra. Together, we will discover how the various sections interact, who sets the tempo, who carries the melody, and who builds tension in the background. We will learn that every instrument plays an indispensable role—and that even silence can be charged with anticipation.

This year, you don’t have to remain mere listeners! We invite you to join forces with our orchestra: young listeners can prepare alongside their teachers, while adults are encouraged to dust off their instruments. Let’s experience together that unique feeling of being part of an orchestra.

Two nations are at war, yet amidst the battlefield unfolds a far more intimate drama that could lead to unexpected consequences. The Egyptian princess Amneris loves the commander Radamès; however, his heart belongs to the captive Aida—whose true identity as a princess of the enemy Ethiopian nation remains unknown to all. Unbeknownst to any of them, they will soon face a choice that will determine life or death…

Is Verdi’s famous *Nabucco* merely an opera about the longing for freedom? Jiří Heřman’s production offers a compelling perspective on the story of the Babylonian king and the Jewish people, centering on family relationships and King Nebuchadnezzar himself. Packed with magnificent choral sequences and stirring vocal parts, the opera has been one of the most popular titles in our repertoire for 35 years.

The story of young Klárka, set on Christmas Eve, takes us first into the real world of lavish holiday celebrations and then into the realm of Klárka’s dreams. This version by Canadian choreographer Fernand Nault premiered in 1964 and has come to life every winter since, performed by Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in Montreal. Its highlights include a lively pace and a seamless flow of scenes, but above all, the spectacular set and costume design, which captivates children with its richness and vibrant colors. Join us in a magical world and let yourself be whisked away on a sleigh ride through a snowy landscape. Dance amidst the snowflakes until you reach the Kingdom of Sweets, where the King himself awaits to welcome you. On this fairy-tale journey, alongside the Nutcracker, you will encounter nearly a hundred different characters brought to life by soloists and members of the NdB Ballet, as well as students from the Brno Dance Conservatory and the I. V. Psota Ballet School. A ballet fairy tale for the whole family about the magic of Christmas Eve.

Falling in love without losing your head—that is the art of relationships.

Do you need to win someone’s love, or perhaps forget it altogether? Dr. Dulcamara’s elixir can make it happen! Just one bottle does the trick! Love potions have always been among the most sought-after magical remedies for young men and women—you can even find recipes for them online today. It is no wonder, then, that they frequently feature in legends—ranging from ancient tragedies like the tale of Tristan and Isolde to stories with happy endings that have inspired operas.