The Cunning Little Vixen
The Cunning Little Vixen (original Příhody Lišky Bystrouška ) is an opera in 3 acts ( 9 images ) of the Czech composer Leoš Janáček. The opera was in 1921 to 1923. Libretto written by the composer based on a novella by Rudolf Těsnohlídek. The German, sometimes deviating from the original in the plot text version created Max Brod.
People
- The people: The Forester (baritone )
- The woman forester (Alt )
- The schoolmaster (Tenor)
- The priest * (Bass)
- Háraschta, a tramp ( bass)
- The innkeeper Pasek (Tenor)
- Sepp, son of the forester (soprano )
- Franzl, his friend (soprano )
- The animals: Cunning little vixen (soprano )
- Fuchs ( soprano)
- The young cunning little vixen ( child's voice, soprano )
- Dachshund ( mezzo-soprano)
- Hahn ( soprano)
- Crested Hen (soprano )
- Cricket, grasshopper, frog, fly ( children's voices )
- Badger * (Bass)
- Owl ( Alt)
- Jay (soprano )
* Understudy: pastor and roof are to be represented by the same singer
Action
The work superficially describes the fate of a captured by the forester vixen that grows on his farm, but then flees into the forest. Parallel to this the fate of the struggling with his own imperfection people run their course and are closely interwoven in the manner of a fable with the events in the animal world.
The forester has a relationship with the gypsy girl Terynka while his wife fights with the presumably from the vixen ( which stands for Terynka ) into the house brought vermin. In this Terynka who never appears on stage, the teacher and the priest are in love. But ultimately wins the tramp and poachers Háraschta their favor. The pastor can be to resist the temptation, move to another location, the teacher squashed a silent tear and the forester takes in nature farewell to his youthful sins.
This happening in the human world is revealed only in hints, is embedded in the depiction of nature that pervades the whole work. The vixen is caught in the forest and fights in the yard of the forester for their freedom: towards the children they annoy the lustful Dachshund ( which stands for the Rangers ), the cock, the discipline and the teacher calls they finally strangled. In the resulting panic, she manages to escape. In the woods she drives the roof ( which stands for the priest ) out of his cave and finds her fox who advertises with exquisite manners around them. Accompanied by a folk sound of the choir of the animals celebrate the two wedding.
Soon after the fox leads her children to the dangers of life and teaching them to avoid the trap of the forester. But then she finds in the tramp Háraschta an opponent who eventually shot down. A Muff, which is suitable as a wedding gift for Terynka from their fur. The forester can this happen, accepts the workings of nature. In the forest he looks back on what happened. He sees a child of the fox and a frog who is really the grandson of the person who jumped him at the beginning of the action in the face. In the simplicity of everyday life, the tone poem by the workings of nature in which the human soul can detach from their involvement ends.
Reception history
The first performance took place in 1927 in Czech except Mainz. German theater also attacked in the first episode always on an adaptation of Max Brod back that contains some substantive changes. Walter Felsenstein 1961 created a new translation that more closely modeled on the original, his staging of the opera with Irmgard Arnold in the title role has been recorded from German Television (published as DVD). Max Brod described the opera as "Dream of the eternity of nature and the joy of love ."
The opera is considered one of the most original creations Janáček. The composer has frequently expressed himself that this was his best work. The orchestral writing is lyrical and less " expressionistic " as in other works of Janáček's later creative period. In addition to echoes of Impressionism suggestions are clearly noticeable from the Moravian folklore. Intervallic nucleus of the themes and motifs used often forms a major second, even here Janacek's characteristic personal style follows his " theory of speech melody ".