SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Janáček,  Jenůfa: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus of  Bavarian State Opera, conductor: Tomáš Hanus – Munich  8.11.2010 (BM)

Production Picture © Wilfried Hösl

As a study in rural mores and attitudes toward women, Jenůfa often conveys the feeling of a Czech Cavalleria Rusticana. Babara Frey’s version of this stirring work literally oozes that Bohemian verismo, not least because she is presumably very familiar with the source of the libretto, Gabriela Preissová’s poignant play “Her Stepdaughter”, which was inspired by a true event. This production is almost timeless, set neither in the distant past nor in the present - although the desolate landscape surrounding the mill and the sacristan or Kostelnicka’s house (sets: Bettina Meyer) does actually evoke the recent toxic sludge disaster in Hungary! Life is hard on the people who live here, and their clothes - on the old-fashioned side, with a slight nod in the direction of folk costume – tell of deprivation (costumes: Bettina Walter). But the focus is not on whether their 19^th century social mores are obsolete or reprehensible (never mind the prolific program notes on the fate of impoverished and battered women), but rather it is on unspeakable things done in the name of love and the power of forgiveness.

Angela Denoke was utterly persuasive in the title role, her soaring, lustrous soprano intense from start to finish (no small feat considering she is on stage almost the entire time), while Gabriele Schnaut was somewhat less convincing as her stepmother the Kostelnicka on this particular evening, due to a disappointing lack of legato and a jarring sound to some of her higher notes. She has an excellent and well-earned reputation, though, especially as a Wagner singer (and was applauded enthusiastically) so this was either just not the right role for her or not the right day. One of this opera’s many appealing details is that both the leading men are tenors – none of the customary noble tenor vs. evil baritone clash here, and Joseph Kaiser as Števa and in particular Stefan Margita as Laca with his very expressionist approach were superb. They portray their characters as young men overwhelmed by the hand life has dealt them, winning the audience’s empathy although they have both wronged Jenůfa. Excellent performances were also given by Diane Pilcher as Old Burya and Christoph Stephinger as the Village Judge, and indeed the entire cast came together as if they all actually were from the same village, creating a performance that flowed and was thrilling to watch. The outstanding chorus (under Sören Eckhoff) also made an invaluable contribution, showing off the bit of folklore they were allowed to indulge in with aplomb.

But even without a strong cast, the music from the orchestra pit alone would have made the evening thoroughly worthwhile. Tomáš Hanus chose an almost chamber musical approach to Janáček’s score, bringing out wonderful “solo” passages which are seldom heard so clearly.

The final scene, showing Jenůfa and Laca sitting side by side on Kostelnicka’s rickety porch as their hands slowly inch toward each other, is superbly done and deeply moving.

Bettina Mara