Rusalka

Janáček Opera Ensemble and Orchestra of the National Theatre Brno

 Premiere 24th February 2012, Janáček Theatre

A fairy tale of love and betrayal together with Dvořák’s enchanting score

Rusalka is by far the most successful opera composed by Antonín Dvořák. The Czech poet Jaroslav Kvapil drew on a range of sources for the libretto, including The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen and Undine by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. The lyrical fairy tale tells the story of Rusalka, a water nymph, who falls in love with a mortal and strikes a terrible bargain with the witch Ježibaba to gain mortality herself. A tale of great love and betrayal, Dvořák’s music with is beautiful melodies and motifs, successfully balances the human and natural world. Moments of exquisite lyricism, such as Rusalka’s famous ‘Song to the Moon’ in Act I, are blended with earthy, folk-derived dances.

Dvořák’s Rusalka was first performed at the National Theatre in Prague in 1901 and has remained in the theatre’s repertoire ever since. The premiere was a great triumph at home and although initially slow to build in popularity in the rest of Europe, Rusalka is now regularly performed worldwide. In 2011 Rusalka celebrated its 110th anniversary since its premiere, however it hasn’t lost its freshness, appeal, and relevance for today’s audience.

National Theatre Brno
state-funded organisation
Dvorakova 11
Brno 657 70