LEOŠ JANÁČEK

Leoš Janáček is one of the founders of the Czech national composition school, conductor, folklorist, musicologist, critic and pedagogue. His musical style was influenced by the mother tongue and peculiarities of Moravian folk songs. Janáček stood out for his uniqueness and is considered to be one of the most original composers of operatic music of the beginning of the 20th century. He has written works of various genres: 9 operas, a ballet, orchestral and chamber opuses. The list of his best known operas includes Jenůfa (Her Stepdaughter), Káťa Kabanová (Katya Kabanova), Příhody lišky Bystroušky (The Cunning Little Vixen), Šárka and Věc Makropulos (The Makropulos Affair). The opera Jenůfa is the composer’s first work, in which the independence and uniqueness of his creative thought is most felt. He worked on it in 1896–1902. Jenůfa is based on the rural drama written by Gabriela Preissová. The composer himself wrote the libretto after significantly shortening the text of the drama. Jenůfa is a grim veristic story depicting Moravian village customs. The first performance of the opera took place at the Brno National Theatre in January, 1904. This is Janáček’s most frequently staged opera around the world.

The Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by maestro Modestas Pitrėnas, performs a suite of the opera Jenůfa, which was conceptualised by Manfred Honeck and orchestrated by Tomáš Ille.