From the House Of the Dead

Opera - by Leoš Janáček - The National Theatre in Prague

By Prague National Theatre

Poslední opera Leoše Janáčka je inspirovaná románem F. M. Dostojevského Zápisky z mrtvého domu.

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

Leoš Janáček’s final opera, was inspired by Dostoyevsky’s novel The House of the Dead, reflecting the author’s own experience as a political prisoner in a Siberian penal camp amid a wide scale of convicts condemned for various crimes. In the opera, Janáček put aside the repeatedly treated stories of great female dramatis personae and immersed himself in the world of male “crime and punishment”.

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

The metaphor of “the dead house” gives rise to the composer’s peculiar, anti-dramatic conception of the opera. Even though the life in the camp is depicted lushly and extremely realistically, it all serves as mere coulisse, an ever-repeating and depressing rite, a pretended life. The prisoners actually perceive as real life their past, into which they obsessively return, some of them telling shocking stories so as to make sure they are still alive.

The Prisoners, Jiří Brückler (Don Juan / Brahmín / Čekunov)

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

Štefan Margita (Luka Kuzmič), Josef Moravec (Skuratov), Michal Bragagnolo (Aljeja)

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

František Zahradníček (Gorjančikov), Michal Bragagnolo (Aljeja), Štefan Margita (Luka Kuzmič)

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

František Zahradníček (Gorjančikov), Jiří Brückler (Don Juan / Brahmín / Čekunov), Štefan Margita (Luka Kuzmič), Jan Markvart (Old prisoner)

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

Pavol Remenár (Šiškov), Štefan Margita (Luka Kuzmič), Jana Vrána (Akulka)

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

Štefan Margita (Luka Kuzmič), Michal Bragagnolo (Aljeja)

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

From the House Of the Dead; Opera - The National Theatre (2015/2015) by Leoš JanáčekPrague National Theatre

evhen Šokalo (Placmajor), František Zahradníček (Gorjančikov), Jiří Hruška (security)

Credits: Story

Musical preparation: Robert Jindra
Conductor: Robert Jindra, David Švec
Stage director: Daniel Špinar
Sets: Lucia Škandíková
Costumes: Iva Němcová
Light-design: Martin Špetlík
Chorus master: Martin Buchta, Miriam Němcová
Choreography: Radim Vizváry
Dramaturgy: Ondřej Hučín

The opera is staged in czech original and english surtitles are used in the performance.
Duration of the performance: 2 hours and 15 minutes, 1 intermission
Photos: Patrik Borecký

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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