Dresden, 11 April 2024: A new staging of Leoš Janáček’s three-act opera »Káťa Kabanová/Katja Kabanowa«, co-produced with the Prague National Theatre, will premiere in Dresden on Sunday, 28 April 2024. Spain’s Calixto Bieito, whose Semperoper productions of Schoenberg’s »Moses und Aron« and Ligeti’s »Le Grand Macabre« are closely associated with Peter Theiler’s directorship, has here further developed his acclaimed Prague staging. Bieito’s third production in Dresden, which will be sung in Czech, sees the Semperoper expanding its Slavic opera repertoire.
Leoš Janáček’s sixth opera – a major work only overshadowed by »Jenůfa« – tells of the psychological torment of a woman trapped in a loveless marriage, and thus echoes other famous literary characters such as Effi Briest or Madame Bovary. Like these, we follow »Káťa Kabanová/Katja Kabanowa«, the eponymous heroine, in her struggle for freedom and self-realisation, only to be defeated by prevailing social pressures and moral constraints.
Inspired by the drama »The Storm« by Russian playwright Alexander Ostrovski, Janáček wrote his own libretto for this work, which premiered in Brno/Brünn in 1921. The composer created a uniquely tender and lyrical opera in which the fervent musical idiom of the rich, multi-layered score sensitively expresses the emotions of the protagonists. At the same time, the riveting story offers a stinging criticism of the reigning social order that still resonates today.
Just one day after the work’s Dresden premiere on 14 August 1949 in the city’s main playhouse, »Káťa Kabanová/Katja Kabanowa« was recorded on tape in the local Museum of Hygiene, featuring Soprano Elfriede Trötschel, a star of Dresden State Opera in the 1930s and 50s. Beloved for her interpretations of lyrical and, later, youthful-dramatic roles, she was regarded at the time as »the ideal Káťa«. An impression of this »sonic jewel from the history of the Dresden State Opera« can be gained by listening to the audio clip on the info page for »Káťa Kabanová/Katja Kabanowa« at semperoper.de.
The Dresden audience at the opening night of the upcoming new production can expect an equally thrilling operatic experience with former ensemble member Amanda Majeski in the title role (which she is interpreting for the first time in Dresden) as well as the role debuts of Christa Mayer, Kurt Rydl, Štěpánka Pučálková, Simeon Esper, Martin Mitterrutzner and Ilya Silchuk, among others. The Staatskapelle Dresden will be conducted by Argentinian maestro Alejo Pérez, the current Music Director of Opera Vlaanderen, whose most recent appearance at the Semperoper was to conduct a series of performances of Bizet’s »Carmen«. This will be the first time that Perez has interpreted Janáček’s »Káťa Kabanová/Katja Kabanowa«.
»Káťa Kabanová/Katja Kabanowa« by Leoš Janáček
Staged by Calixto Bieito
In cooperation with the National Theatre Prague
Decoration and costumes of the National Theatre Prague
With Amanda Majeski, Christa Mayer, Nicole Chirka, Štěpánka Pučálková, Sabine Brohm, Lucie Ceralová, Kurt Rydl, Magnus Vigilius, Simeon Esper, Martin Mitterrutzner and Ilya Silchuk
Also on stage: the Saxon State Opera Chorus.
The Staatskapelle Dresden will be conducted by Alejo Pérez.
Premiere at 7 pm on Sunday, 28 April 2024, in the Semperoper
Additional performances on 1, 6, 10 and 19 May 2024
Tickets can be purchased from the Schinkelwache box office on Theaterplatz (+49 (0)351 4911 705). A 3D-seating plan to aid your choice of tickets and seats in the auditorium can be found in the Semperoper’s online ticket shop.
Please send any requests for review tickets (along with details of the editorial brief and likely publication dates) to presse@semperoper.de.
High-quality photos and other press materials can be downloaded from our dedicated press page.
Photo: Premiere motif of »Káťa Kabanová/Katja Kabanowa« © Martin Perlaki. The motif is part of the artistic concept for the premiere posters 2023/24 with a series of works by Martin Perlaki.