Antonín Dvořák's Devil and Kate, plus a Note on Devils

The Devil and Kate (Čert a Káča) is another not-so-often performed opera by Antonín Dvořák. It is based on a folk fairy-tale collected and written down by Božena Němcová about an energetic girl named Kate.

Story:

The opera opens in a tavern, where a village celebration is taking place. Music is playing and everybody is dancing, but Jirka, the shepherd, has to go to work, or his master would fire him. Before he leaves, Kate and her mother turn up. Kate would like to find a husband, but nobody wants to dance with her, because she's cheeky and sharp-tongued. She says that she would marry even a devil. At that moment, the devil Marbuel enters the tavern, disguised as a huntsman. He had been sent by the lord of hell Lucifer to investigate whether the princess and steward have committed enough sins to be taken to hell. He wants to tease Kate and punish her a little for her sharp tongue, so he asks her to dance and proposes her to leave with him. When she agrees, he takes her to hell. Then Jirka returns, saying that his master had sent him to hell. When he hears what happened, he decides to save Kate.

Farewell to Adam Plachetka

Today the last concert of the bass-baritone Adam Plachetka took place in Prague. Don't worry about his health, he's just starting next season at the Wiener Staatsoper. :-) Dear Wieners, take good care of him, don't make him appear in crazy productions, and let him get back to Prague as often as possible!

At mere 25 years of age, Mr.Plachetka has got an extremely beautiful voice, excellent technique, breathtaking expressiveness and an artistic approach of a middle-aged Met soloist. His artistic intelligence is way ahead of his age, and he is a wonderful actor, too.

His today recital with piano compiled of a selection of songs by Mozart, Sibelius, Ravel's Songs of Don Quijote, topped with four Schönberg's Cabaret Songs. Having heard Mr.Plachetka several times in full operas, never a concert, I must admit that I didn't expect he would make me laugh with Mozart's Warnung, or nearly shred a tear with Sibelius's Säf, Säf, Susa or Svarta Rosor. For the last four cabaret songs, he had a high chair brought on stage, changed his bow tie for a red one, put a red flower in his lapel and acted a cabaret singer. I still laugh when I remember it! The encores were my beloved Impossible Dream and On the Street Where You Live. The atmosphere was simply great. I can't remember the last time my hands hurt from applauding. The pianist, David Švec, had to ostentatiously close the piano keyboard to show that there would be no further encores (what a pity). Oh, yeah, and besides all the voice and acting and intelligence and sense of humour, he does look as good as on this photo *swoon*!

So, don't overuse him in Vienna, return him if possible, and if not, definitely go and see him. He might appear elsewhere in Austria, and in 2012 he's going to be doing Masetto at ROH. Quite a career ahead of him, let us enjoy him while we can. We are going to hear about this man.

Busy 2010/2011 Season of the Czech Philharmonic, Hvorostovsky Again!

Some time ago I pointed out Dmitri Hvorostovsky's recital in Prague in August, saying that you might want to connect a trip with a cultural event. Since it was well received, I decided to point out some more concerts.

Here is the program of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (booklet in .pdf frormat, mostly in Czech - but you can read the names). The ticket sale began this week, but when I asked at the box office today, I was told that the tickets for the last concert of the season are not on sale yet.

The best part is, the final concert is Dmitri Hvorostovsky! This time it will be opera arias with full orchestra in the beautiful Spanish Hall at the Prague Castle. Tickets will be sold probably in September or October. If there's any new info, I'll keep you updated.

The other huge names include conductors Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Sir Charles Mackerras (gala for his 85th birthday! Great peaces by great Czech composers), Christoph Eschenbach, Eliahu Inbal, of course Manfred Honeck, the Principal guest Conductor of the CP, and of course Jiří Bělohlávek, singers Thomas Hampson or Eva Urbanová, the starry pianist Lang Lang, or the just-as-starry violinist Joshua Bell, the guy you might have seen fiddling in the Washington metro.

There are still few (very, very few) tickets for the festival Dvořák's Prague - even some for the launching concert, the final concert, even the one with Gardiner, the one with Daniele Gatti, and 142 seats are still free for Hvorostovsky's recital.

Once Again, All Alone - Videoclip with Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Russian romances (romansy) have nothing to do with "romantic" in the sense of romantic movies. They are art songs, typically on the words of a poem by one of the many great Russian poets. They are often sad or nostalgic, and yet you must keep listening to them from the beginning of a CD to the end. Not excepting Hvorostovsky's newest release of Tchaikovsky's romances, which has a total of 81 minutes.

Mentioning this release, I can not forget to say that it's in my book his best release in this genre. The voice is darker, fuller, his approach mature and Mr. Ilja's playing perfect. Be looking forward to another release that the Delos are planning. I have heard it, as it has been released in Russia, and it's just as good!

Nevertheless, Mr.Hvorostovsky has always been singing this genre, and he's surpassed by none. His very second CD he released in the West, a year after the very successful Tchaikovsky and Verdi Arias (1990), was Russian Romances (1991). It is my second favourite CD of romances (after the newest one, of course). The picture on the cover comes from this videoclip:

I don't know how famous or obscure this video was at the time, but I suppose videoclips by opera singers were not as common then as they are now, let alone would they comprise of hints of eroticism (mild for today's standards). One thing is for certain: it's an excellent video. In its mood and artistic approach, it's entirely loyal to Tchaikovsky's song, and shows how literally timeless these songs are.

Sheet music with Russian text and singable English translation (surprisingly loyal) in .pdf can be found here, on a site dedicated to everything Russian, including Russian music, including art song. All of it is only in Russian, unfortunately.

If you feel like you need a literal translation and transliteration, I've made one for you:

Important notes:

я - ya - I

ы - is like "i" in "bit", but more to the back of your mouth.

е - full pronunciation is "ye", but the "y" part is often ommitted, what is left is some sort of a softening of the preceeding sound.

Notice the vowel reduction in unstressed syllables. Difficult to transcribe :-)

More on Russian pronunciation here.

Notice that the word order is not strict. Where it would not be clear, I've marked the subject in bold.

Original

Transliteration

Literal, almost word-by-word translation

Singable translation from the sheet

1. Снова, как прежде, один,

Snóva, kak prézhde, adyín,

Again, as before, alone,

Ah! Once again all alone,

Снова объят я тоской...

Snóva abyát ya taskóy...

Again I'm embraced by wistfulness

Racked once again by my grief...

Смотрится тополь в окно,

Smótritsya tópol' vaknó,

Staring is a poplar through (in) my window,

See where the poplar stands still,

Весь озаренный луной.

Vyés' azaryénniy lunóy.

It is lit by the moon.

Still with its silvery leaf.

2. Смотрится тополь в окно...

Smótritsya tópol' vaknó...

Staring is a poplar through (in) my window,

Now through my window it stares,

Шепчут о чём-то листы...

Shépchut a chómta listi...

Whispering about something are its leaves...

Softly it murmurs to me...

В звездах горят небеса...

Vzvyózdakh goryát nyebesá...

With stars are on fire the heavens...

Stars stud the heavens with their fire,

Где теперь, милая, ты?

Gdyé tyéper', mílaya, ti?

Where now, my love, are you?

Say, my love, where can you be?

3. Всё, что творится со мной,

Vsyó, shto tvarítsya sa mnóy,

All that has happened to me

All that has happened to me

Я передать не берусь...

Ya peredát' nyeberús'...

I cannot begin to tell.

Cannot begin to be told.

Друг! помолись за меня,

Druk! pamalís' za menyá,

Friend, say a prayer for me,

Friend, say a prayer now for me,

Я за тебя уж молюсь.

Yá za tyebyá uzh malyús'.

I for you am already praying.

Pray, as I pray now for you.

Dmitri Hvorostovsky (!) in Prague (!)

On the 27th of August, Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Ivari Ilja will perform Russian art songs at the festival Dvořák's Prague. Now, in March (!), only approximately 180 out of 1144 seats are left (!), so if you've been considering to visit the most beautiful city on Earth and maybe connect your trip with a cultural event, you should hurry up. If no circumstances beyond our control take place, FrufruJ will be the blonde girl in the fourth row centre (!). See you (t)here!

Tickets can be booked here.

PS: I might have one ticket left... ;-)