The National Theatre autumn programme features new series of Katya Kabanova

New faces in some of the leading roles will star in Leoš Janáček´s opera Katya Kabanova at the National Theatres from autumn on. The opera will be also showcased at the Janáček Brno Festival on 9 November.

The great Alžběta Poláčková remains Katya Kabanova, the character of Tichon will be sung by Jaroslav Březina who has also appeared in this role at the Salzburger Festspiele. Eva Urbanová will sing Kabanicha, the role of Boris will be performed by the Danish tenor Magnus Vigilius whose repertoire includes many roles of pieces by Leoš Janáček and Richard Wagner. Katya Kabanova is conducted by Jaroslav Kyzlink and directed by Calixto Bieito who won the Director Lenka Šaldová's Award at the Opera 2022 Festival for this very production and has been recently shortlisted for the prestigious International Opera Award 2022 in the Rediscovered Work category with his production of Flammen.

“I suppose that Katya, out of all Janáček’s pieces, qualifies as the most get-at-able opera. It is a beautiful, nearly Pucciniam story, concentrated in 90 minutes and brilliantly instrumented. It´s the essence of main character´s drama, although Janáček managed to accentuate other characters extremely well,” points out conductor Jaroslav Kyzlink.

The performances are scheduled on November 6, 11, 20 and 25 at the National Theatre in Prague.

On 9 November the show travels to be showcased at the Janáček Brno Festival.