Rusalka

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Rusalka ( Op. 114, is a 1901 opera ('lyric fairy tale') by Antonín Dvořák. The Czech libretto was written by the poet Jaroslav Kvapil (1868–1950) based on the fairy tales of Karel Jaromír Erben and Božena Němcová. A rusalka is a water sprite from Slavic mythology, usually inhabiting a lake or river. Rusalka was the ninth opera Dvořák composed. It is Dvořák's most successful opera and belongs to the repertoire of all world opera scenes.

For many years unfamiliarity with Dvořák's operas outside the Czech lands helped reinforce a perception that composition of operas was a marginal activity, and that despite the beauty of its melodies and orchestral timbres Rusalka was not a central part of his output or of international lyric theatre. In recent years it has been performed more regularly by major opera companies. In the five seasons from 2008 to 2013 it was performed by opera companies worldwide far more than all of Dvořák's other operas combined.

The most popular excerpt from Rusalka is the soprano aria, the "Song to the Moon" ("Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém") for the title character in act 1, which is often performed in concert and recorded separately. It has also been arranged for violin and used on film sound tracks.

Program and cast

Conductor: Jiří Štrunc

Rusalka: Alžběta Poláčková, Pavla Vykopalová

Prince: Peter Berger, Aleš Briscein, Richard Samek

Water Goblin: Oleg Korotkov, Zdeněk Plech, Roman Vocel

Witch: Veronika Hajnová, Jana Sýkorová, Andrea Tögel Kalivodová

Foreign Princess: Anda-Louise Bogza, Iveta Jiříková, Jitka Svobodová

First Wood Sprite: Hana Jonášová, Lucie Silkenová

Second Wood Sprite: Sylva Čmugrová, Jana Horáková Levicová

Third Wood Sprite: Šárka Hrbáčková, Alžběta Vomáčková

Turnspit: Lenka Pavlovič, Erika Vocelová Jarkovská

Gamekeeper: Jan Ježek, Ivan Kusnjer

Hunter: Jiří Brückler, Jiří Hájek, František Zahradníček


Libretto: Jaroslav Kvapil
Stage director: Zdeněk Troška
Sets: Milan Ferenčík
Costumes: Josef Jelínek
Chorus master: Adolf Melichar
Choreography: Dana Morávková
Dramaturgy: Jitka Slavíková


State Opera Orchestra
State Opera Chorus

Prague State Opera

The State Opera today

 

The State Opera (formerly the State Opera Prague, between 1948 and 1992 the Smetana Theatre, and originally the New German Theatre) has been a part of the National Theatre since 2012. The Opera and Ballet ensembles give repertory performances at the State Opera.

 

History

 

The Prague State Opera resides in the building which on January 5, 1888 was opened as a Prague German stage with the performance of Wagner’s opera, The Mastersingers of Nürnberg. In the 19th century, Prague Germans performed in the Estate’s Theater in alternation with a Czech company. Desire for their own theater led to negotiations in 1883 for the construction of a new theater building for the German Theater Association. Over the next three years, a blueprint was drawn up and handed over to the Vienna atelier of Fellner and Hellmer. Also sharing in the design was the architect of the Vienna Municipal Theater, Karl Hasenauer, while Prague architect Alfons Wertmüller took part in the construction. Financing came from private collections. With its spacious auditorium and neo-Rococo decoration, this theater building is among the most beautiful in Europe.

 

Access:

 

By car

On Wilsonova street, from the left lane close to the State Opera building take the slip road to the Slovan above-ground garage. The parking fee is 40 CZK/h.

 

By tram

 

By daytime tram No. 11 to the stop “Muzeum”, through the underpass beneath Legerova street in the direction of the NationalMuseum, at the crossroads turn right along the NewBuilding of the NationalMuseum.

 

By daytime trams Nos. 3, 9, 14 and 24 or night trams Nos. 51, 52, 54, 55, 56 and 58 to the stop “Václavské náměstí”, then by foot uphill on the left side of the Wenceslas Square to the traffic lights across Wilsonova and Vinohradská streets. Then turn left along the NewBuilding of the NationalMuseum.

 

By metro

To the “Muzeum” station, lines A and C (green and red), and then by foot along the NewBuilding of the NationalMuseum.

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