Kata Kabanova, JW I/8

Composer: Janacek, Leos

Librettist/Text Author: Janacek, Leos

Conductor: Cambreling, Sylvain

Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

Chorus: Slovak Philharmonic Chorus

A man: Voss, Ulrich

Boris: Kuebler, David

Dikoj: Smit, Henk

Fecklusa: Staringer, Elisabeth

Glasa: Precht, Ulrika

Kabanicha: Henschel, Jane

Kata Kabanova: Denoke, Angela

Kudriasch: Trost, Rainer

Kuligin: Caton, Frederic

Tichon: Delamboye, Hubert

Varvara: Peckova, Dagmar

Set Designer: Viebrock, Anna

Costume Designer: Viebrock, Anna

Lighting Designer: Winter, Olaf

Stage Director: Marthaler, Christian

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Date of Production: 1998

Festival: Salzburg Festival

Playing Time: 01:46:30

Catalogue Number: P022

Synopsis

Kata Kabanova, JW I/8

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Katia Kabanova is an opera in three acts sung in Czech, which libretto by Vincenc Cervinka was inspired by Alexander Ostrovsky's play The Storm. The story takes place on the banks of the Volga. Katia, a young, sensible and sincere woman, is married to Tichon Kabanov, whose mother profoundly despises her. She is in love with Boris and dreams of going away from the solitude of her home to experience liberty and true love. One night, when her husband is away, she secretly meets Boris, and the two lovers tell each other about their feelings. But Katia, tormented by guilt, confesses everything when her husband comes back. Pressure and rejection by society constrain her to commit a tragic act to end her suffering.

This opera by Leos Janacek was premiered in 1921. It contains all the natural elements that Janacek loves such as wind, water, storms... as well as a presentation of profound and true human feelings. This opera brilliantly combines Russian theater and romantic and post-romantic Czech music.