Deprived of her beauty, she is no longer desired by Števa, who gets engaged with the mayor’s daughter instead. In order to get back at her, Laca carves her face with a knife. It is a story of raw realism in one of the first operas to have used unaltered literary prose. According to the plot, the beautiful Jenůfa is expecting a child from the miller, Števa, and deters his younger, half-brother, Laca, who is in love with her. The three-act opera Jenůfa – which could be characterized as the Czech response to the Italian movement of verismo – is based on one of Janáček’s texts, which was in turn based upon Gabriela Preissová’s play Její pastorkyňa. Jenůfa, the “perfect opera”, as it was recently described by the Guardian, has exceeded the bounds of the modern repertory and has established itself in the world’s greatest opera houses, thanks to its lyricism and emotional honesty, its magnificent music by the great Czech composer Leoš Janáček, and its intensely dramatic and at the same time deeply humane storyline. Depressingly, it couldn’t be more timely.The Greek National Opera launches the 2018/19 season with Leoš Janáček’s Jenůfa, one of the most important masterpieces of the 20th century, that will be presented for the first time ever in Greece, on October 14th, conducted by Lukas Karytinos and directed by Nicola Raab. A co-commission with Britten Pears Arts, directed by Katie Mitchell, it will explore violence against women. This new opera, by composer Laura Bowler and librettist Laura Lomas, gets its world premiere at the Linbury Theatre. Deborah Warner directs and Mark Elder conducts a cast that includes British singers Allan Clayton, Bryn Terfel and John Tomlinson alongside Maria Bengtsson and former Jette Parker Young Artist Jacques Imbrailo. The Royal Opera continues its series of Benjamin Britten’s operas with a new production of his sea-water-and-ambiguity-soaked tragedy, in collaboration with Teatro Real, Madrid, where it will premiere in April before coming to the ROH in March 2022.

New West End Company BRANDPOST | PAID CONTENTĪnother long-awaited premiere, which was stopped in its tracks last March, Claus Guth’s production of Janáček’s rather grim tale of jealousy, infanticide and love will feature Henrik Nánási conducting Asmik Grigorian (who won best female singer at the 2019 International Opera Awards and here makes her ROH debut) in the title role, Nicky Spence as her jealous suitor Laca, Karita Mattila as the Kostelnička and Andrew Staples as Števa.

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