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Opera – Její pastorkyňaOpera – Její pastorkyňa
Opera

Jenůfa

Leoš Janáček

Premiere performances: 22 and 24 May 2025 at the National Theatre

The National Theatre
English surtitles

Basic information

Venue

The National Theatre

Approximate running time

2 hours 20 minutes, 1 intermission (20 minutes) minutes

Language

In Czech, surtitles in English, Czech

Premiere

May 22, 2025

Recommended age

15+

WARNING: The performance contains violent scenes and is not suitable for children.

Jenůfa is the first classical stage work by Leoš Janáček, the globally renowned Czech opera composer.

Cast

  • 2024-2025
  • 2025-2026

Creatives

Stage director
Calixto Bieito
Costumes
Paula Klein
Light design
Martin Bronec
Chorus master
Pavel Vaněk

About

National Theatre Chorus
National Theatre Orchestra

Leoš Janáček was enthralled by the Czech writer Gabriela Preissová’s realistic drama Her Stepdaughter, which had been staged in 1890 at the National Theatre without great success. Janáček himself adapted the play into a libretto, while retaining the  original literary form, thus being one of the pioneers of opera sung in prose, not in verse, as had been the convention.
With an acute sense for earthy drama and with enormous empathy, he depicted human relationships amid the harsh universe of a self-contained village community, where everyone knows each other’s business. This milieu affects the life of the young Jenůfa and, particularly, governs the behaviour of her stepmother Kostelnička, who strives to maintain her reputation as a virtuous woman and the villagers’ respect. Determined to preserve her standing, she even goes so far as to secretly murder Jenůfa’s illegitimate child.
Jenůfa is an overwhelming drama about distrust, jealousy, various forms of love and the ability to forgive the unforgivable. Janáček completed the opera in early 1903.
Owing to the dispute between the composer and its then music director, Karel Kovařovic, the National Theatre in Prague rejected it. Consequently, Jenůfa was undertaken by the National Theatre in Brno, which gave its world premiere on 21 January 1904 at the Divadlo na Veveří. Prague’s National Theatre first performed Janáček’s opera, in a revised version, 12 years later. It was subsequently staged in Vienna (1918) and other cities. Today, Jenůfa is a repertoire staple at many opera houses worldwide.

Audiences are advised that the show contains violent scenes and is not suitable for children.

Suitable for audiences aged 15 and over.

Synopsis

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    Poster Jenůfa

    A poster for the production of Jenůfa

    299 Kč

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    Practical information

    Where to buy tickets

    When purchasing online, you can get an e-ticket. You can pick up printed tickets in person at the box offices of the National Theatre.

    The National Theatre sells tickets up to 6 months in advance - currently for July–December 2025.
    Sales always start on the 1st day of the month at 9am, except in January when pre-sales do not start until the 2nd day due to a public holiday.

    Parking at the National Theater

    While visiting The National Theatre and the New Stage you can use again the underground car park of the National Theatre. Information and a parking fee.

     

    What to wear?

    By their appearance, attire and behaviour, the audience is obliged to adhere to the accustomed practice expected from them when attending a theatre performance.

    Buffets at the National Theater

    No waiting. For your benefit, please pre-order your food and beverages at the bar to minimize waiting in the queue!

    Menu (PDF, 60 kB)