Jenůfa

Jenůfa (in) is a opera in three acts of Leoš Janáček on a booklet written by the type-setter, taking as a starting point the part Její pastorkyna (His/her daughter-in-law) of Gabriela Preissová and created with the Theater of Brno, on January 21st, 1904.

It is about a tragedy history of child murder and repentance, whose realism of the human feelings and the dramatic intensity are as famous in the opera as in the part which he takes as a starting point.

Work is played today in its original version, although its popularity was formerly largely due to a little eccentric reorchestration of Karel Kovařovic. Thus modified, Jenůfa accepted at the time a reception very favorable at the time of its first to Prague then in the whole world. It had to be waited 70 years so that the original partition of Janáček is again played.

Characters

  • Main roles
    • Jenůfa - Soprano
    • Laced Klemen - Ténor
    • Števa Buryja - Ténor
    • Kostelnička Buryjovka - Soprano

Famous arias

  • In one moment (Kostelnička)
  • the prayer of Jenůfa (Jenůfa)

Synopsis

In a village of the Moravie of the 19th century.

The intrigue of the opera is based on complex family relations between the descendants of Buryja Grandmother and the villagers. Indeed, before the episode which the opera depicts, one learns that Buryja formerly had two sons which married, had children, then died. Their wives also died, except Kostelnička, the widow in second weddings of young person of the wire which is also the mantle of Jenůfa. According to the habit, only Števa in its legitimate capacity as wire of elder of the brothers will inherit the mill, whereas his/her Laca half-brother and his/her Jenůfa cousin must gain their own life.

Act I

Jenůfa, Laced and Buryja Grandmother await the return to the mill of Števa. Jenůfa is in love with Števa and carries in secrecy his/her child. She fears that his/her lover was not obliged to join the army in this day of conscription. Laced, in love with his/her Jenůfa cousin, nourishes a bitter hatred against the comfortable position of heir which its half-fère enjoys. While complaining, it plays with its knife, and, finding the blade blunted, entrusts it to the miller so that it sharpens it.

The miller announces with the family that Števa was not finally enlisted, with the greatest joy of Jenůfa and with the greatest disappointment of Laced. All leave the scene except Jenůfa which waits, the light heart, the return of his/her lover. Here besides which returns accompanied by a group of soldiers, the completely drunk one and praising its prowesses near the girls. Whereas the musicians, at his request, start to play a folk air, it involves Jenůfa in a grotesque dance misérablement.

Kostelnička appears sudden putting an end to the music and freezing the assembly. Shocked by the behavior of Števa, it then prohibits to him to marry with her daughter-in-law as long as there will not have remained sober one year during. The soldiers and the family ebb, leaving only Števa and Jenůfa. This one beseeches it to like it, but, not being informed to him of the maternity of Jenůfa, returns some banalities to him before leaving it.

Cost, always so bitter laced. It tries to involve Jenůfa to criticize Števa, but this one takes the defense of his/her lover in spite of all. Laced mad to imagine that Števa will never consider it, if it is not for its pretty pink cheeks. And, uncontrolled anger, it seizes its knife and lacerates the cheek of Jenůfa.

Act II

A few months later in the house of Kostelnička, it is the winter. Jenůfa was confined of a pretty boy that Števa did not come yet to see. Jenůfa is exhausted but his/her child makes it so happy! While his/her daughter-in-law sleeps, Kostelnička made come Števa and beseeches it to take its responsabilities. the rétorque EC-last that it will provide in secrecy for the needs for the mother and the baby, because nobody must know that he is the father. Indeed, its love for Jenůfa died the day when Laca disfigured it; and since, Števa engaged at Karolka, the pretty girl of the mayor. Števa leaves.

Laced between at Kostelnička. Exhausted, this one reveals to him the secrecy surrounding the baby and the cowardice of Števa. Laced, always in love with Jenůfa wishes to marry it but acknowledges reticent being with the idea to take under its wing the son of his rival. Foreseeing an exit door, Kostelnička claims whereas the baby died shortly after his birth. Laced then leaves the house to go to make publish the banns.

Now only, Kostelnička then carries out the range of its lie and the terrible situation in which it has just plunged. Driven back and torn between the safeguard of its honor and the happiness of her daughter-in-law it makes the appalling decision then to remove the child. In a state quasi-second, it subtilizes the baby and leaves in the corrosive cold the night.

Jenůfa awakes and sings a prayer for his/her child. Kostelnička returns and announces to him that it remained unconscious a few victim days of a fever and that his/her child died. It also reveals the cowardice of Števa to him. Jenůfa is ploughed up. But suddenly, cost Laced, comforts the young girl and proposes to him to marry it. Touched although not testing any feelings towards him, Jenůfa accepts.

Act III

Two months later, here come spring and the day from the weddings. Whereas the bride is prepared, one discovers Kostelnička devastated, corroded by his hideous lie, which is nothing any more but the shade of itself. Laced abounds in attention for its promised and the nearest arrival of Števa announces to him, with which it was reconciled. Hold, here it is precisely which comes to present its wishes, accompanied by the girl by the mayor, his future wife.

Whereas a group of enrubannées young girls dance and sing to celebrate the happiness of promised, a villager arrives suddenly terrified. He explains why with the thaw, one discovered the body of an infant drowned under the ice of the brook. Jenůfa shouts its despair when she recognizes the langes of her baby. Disconcerted, crowd discovers that it is about the secret child of Jenůfa and soon, the suspicions of the murder turn to it. Whereas the villagers are on the point of throwing themselves on the young groom to punish it, Kostelnička leaves its torpor and acknowledges its fixed price with surprised of all. She then beseeches her adopted girl to forgive him. Jenůfa, however filled of pain, includes/understands whereas the gesture of its mantle, although unqualifiable, was a form of love warped towards it; she forgives him before the mayor does not give Kostelnička to the authorities.

Then, only with Laced, conscious of the dishonor which strikes its family, Jenůfa proposes to cancel their marriage and to separate. But the young man renews the testimony of his love to him and a new beginning proposes to him…

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