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Jenufa

Composer and librettist

Music: Leos Janácek. Lyrics: Janácek after a story by Gabriela Preissová.

Libretto

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Première

First performance at: Brno, Deutsches Nationaltheater 21 januari 1904.

Act I

The Buryjovka family mill. Autumn:

Jenufa is pregnant by her unreliable cousin Steva, who may be conscripted, leaving the child illegitimate. In the event he is not taken into the army, but the celebrations are interrupted by Jenufas stepmother, the Kostelnicka, who says the couple must wait a year before they marry, to test Stevaá sobriety. Laca, who has long been in love with Jenufa is jealous and warns Jenufa off his rival. She rejects him and he slashes her cheek with a knife.

Act II

The Kostelnicka´s cottage five months later. Winter.

Discovering that Jenufa is pregnant, the Kostelnicka has hidden her away to have the baby. Ssteva is not interested now that Jenufa´s face is scarred, and the Kostelnicka tells Jenufa the child would be better dead. Laca still wishes to marry Jenufa but doesn´t know about the child. The Kostelnicka drowns the baby in the river and tells Jenufa it died soon after the birth.

Act III

The Kostelnicka´s cottage. Spring.

The wedding of Jenufa and Laca is about to take place. Steva and his new fiancée arrive. The party is disturbed by shouts from the river whera a bavy´s body has been found under the ice in the mill stream. The Kostelnicka confesses and explains that she was acting out of concern for Jenufa´s future. Jenufa says Laca would be better off without her, but he prevails and they agree to face everything together.

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