The Excursions of Mr. Brouček

Janáček’s fifth opera, *The Excursions of Mr. Brouček*, opened the festival’s ninth season, which ran under the motto "Without Borders!" This same phrase aptly describes the work of director Robert Carsen, whose productions are acclaimed worldwide for their dramatic insight, poetic quality, humor, and visual sophistication. The famous director’s path first crossed with the Czech composer’s work many years ago; today, Carsen has staged six of Janáček’s operas. In 2020, he created a production of *Osud* (Destiny) for the Brno ensemble, returning four years later to embark on a journey—not only to the Moon—with Mr. Brouček. Carsen’s production offered a fresh perspective on this rarely performed opera, linking its plot to pivotal 20th-century historical events that shaped the Czech nation. The production’s broad appeal—extending well beyond the local audience—is evidenced by its nomination for the prestigious 2025 Opera Award.

None of Janáček’s operas can be classified as comic operas; while humor is never absent, it serves more as a rare seasoning. Yet, in this opera about a small-time homeowner from Prague’s Lesser Town—an archetypal "little Czech man"—Janáček positively brims with humor, albeit of a decidedly sharp variety. He drew inspiration from the popular *Brouček* novellas by poet Svatopluk Čech, complementing the satire with dance-like rhythms and the use of unusual instruments, such as the glass harmonica and bagpipes. While the first part of the opera—a trip to the Moon—aimed its biting humor at Prague’s critics, intellectuals, and artists, the second half, set in the Hussite era, struck at the unsavory traits of the Czech nation as a whole.