Janáček Operas

[karlhenning]

Listening today for the first time to The Cunning Little Vixen, and I am enthralled.

I mean, Luke always told me it would be so, and I knew better than to think that he would mislead me . . . .

[M forever]

I just recently bought this



so now I can listen to that, too 

[PerfectWagnerite]

I just recently bought this



so now I can listen to that, too 

Does that come with text and translation? Suffice to say I don't speak Czech as eloquently as you probably do.

[karlhenning]

Does that come with text and translation?

Oh, the libretti for the operas in this box would have doubled the size of the box! 

M, YChW 

[PerfectWagnerite]

Oh, the libretti for the operas in this box would have doubled the size of the box! 

M, YChW 

Then where would I get libretto

[Harry]

Oh, the libretti for the operas in this box would have doubled the size of the box! 

M, YChW 

Still, that will not tempt me into buying it......

[Que]

Oh, the libretti for the operas in this box would have doubled the size of the box! 

M, YChW 

Not even a CD-ROM?

Q

[Harry]

Then where would I get libretto

Normally they would supply it as a CD rom, Brilliant does that often, but in the case of Decca one may forget that.
Three Handel boxes I bought some time ago on the same label with religious vocal works on it,  had no libretti, and nowhere to be get.
That's the price you pay for cheap re issues.

[karlhenning]

Not even a CD-ROM?

That's a good thought.

Anyway, the man who knows from Janáček libretti is Luke.

[PerfectWagnerite]

Normally they would supply it as a CD rom, Brilliant does that often, but in the case of Decca one may forget that.
Three Handel boxes I bought some time ago on the same label with religious vocal works on it,  had no libretti, and nowhere to be get.
That's the price you pay for cheap re issues.

And it isn't all that cheap. Still it is good to have all of Mackerras' Janacek operas in one box.

I don't think Brilliant provides translated libretto either. I have the big Mozart box and sure there is a cdrom with all the text to the operas and all but only in the original language. So unless you speak German or Italian you still need to get yourself a libretto. That's the reason I haven't listened to some of the less familiar operas in that box since I can't find the libretti (translated I mean) anywhere.

[Harry]

And it isn't all that cheap. Still it is good to have all of Mackerras' Janacek operas in one box.

I don't think Brilliant provides translated libretto either. I have the big Mozart box and sure there is a cdrom with all the text to the operas and all but only in the original language. So unless you speak German or Italian you still need to get yourself a libretto. That's the reason I haven't listened to some of the less familiar operas in that box since I can't find the libretti (translated I mean) anywhere.

Yes that is true, I forgot about the fact that they are only in the original language.

[Anne]

The Cunning Little Vixen DVD's (one is a cartoon version) have subtitles.  Jenufa DVD has subtitles.  Maybe go with DVD first then later CD's.

I can't tell you much more as I didn't care for the music.  I'll probably try again some day.

[M forever]

Hmm...I had actually thought the libretti would be easy to find online. But so far, I have had no luck for this opera. Does anyone have a link?

[Wendell_E]

The Cunning Little Vixen DVD's (one is a cartoon version) have subtitles.  Jenufa DVD has subtitles.  Maybe go with DVD first then later CD's.

The non-cartoon Vixen (from Paris) also has subtitles, as do the Glyndebourne versions of Jenufa, Makropoulos, and Kat'a Kabanova.

Hmm...I had actually thought the libretti would be easy to find online. But so far, I have had no luck for this opera. Does anyone have a link?

I did find a Czech-only Jenufa libretto here.  That's Act I, with links for the other acts.

I imagine they're had to find online because most of them are still protected by copyright?  I had the Mackerras recordings in both their original LP issues and the CDs with librettos.  I've already given away my duplicate Janacek libretti to another GMGer, or you could have 'em.

[Sarastro]

Hm, so strange...I thought there should be some source of translated libretti, not for the all operas maybe, but at least for the most popular, I know one, but it's russian. 
Though if you buy a single opera set, there probably would be, I remember taking some operas from the common LA library, having it. In English. 

[Sarastro]

I did find a Czech-only Jenufa libretto here.  That's Act I, with links for the other acts.

It's even understandable, somehow.
A saw Jenufa at LA-opera, so got a complete translation, so DVD for the first time is good.

[Todd]

Hunt around for used copies of the Janacek operas on Supraphon - they should be cheap (or at least cheap-ish) and they have libretti.  For Vixen, the Neumann set is, for my money, as good as Mackerras' set.  He's got Gabriela Beneckova as the Fox.  Of course, Mackerras has Lucia Popp in the title role.  (Were only there a recording with both singers!) 

[M forever]

Good idea. That is probably a good recording to have anyway. Although I can also get the libretto (and/or) the score from the UCSD library, if I don't find another source.

[The new erato]

Useful link:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/Chisholm/Janacek/index.htm

[karlhenning]

Very interesting, thanks, erato!