Janacek: Jenufa / Vejzovic, Briscein, Vermillion, Kaftan, Graz Philharmonic

$31.99
Label
Oehms Classics
Release Date
July 10, 2015
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      JANACEK, LEOS
    • ORCHESTRA / ENSEMBLE
      Graz Philharmonic Orchestra, Choir Of The Graz Opera
    • PERFORMER
      Kaftan, Vejzovic, Briscein, Reinhard, Vermilli
    Product Details ⌄
    Works ⌄

    1. Act I: Prelude

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    2. Act I: Uz se vecer chyli (Jenufa, alte Buryja, Laca, Jano)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Gal James, Dunja Vejzovic, Ales Briscein, Nazanin Ezazi

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    3. Act I: Co to robis, mladku? (Altgesell, Laca, Jenufa, alte Buryja, Kusterin Buryja)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: David McShane, Ales Briscein, Gal James, Dunja Vejzovic, Iris Vermillion

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    4. Act I: Co ty, Jenufo, za mamickou nevejdes? (alte Buryja, Jenufa, Rekruten, Steva Buryja, Altgesell)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Chor der Oper Graz, Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Dunja Vejzovic, Gal James, Taylan Reinhard, David McShane

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    5. Act I: Dusa moja, Stevo, Stevusko (Jenufa, Steva Buryja, Chorus)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Chor der Oper Graz, Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Gal James, Taylan Reinhard

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    6. Act I: A tak bychom sli celym zivotem (Kusterin Buryja, Jenufa, Rekruten, alte Buryja, Laca, Altgesell)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Chor der Oper Graz, Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Iris Vermillion, Gal James, Dunja Vejzovic, Ales Briscein, David McShane

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    7. Act I: Stevo, Stevo, ja vim (Jenufa, Steva Buryja, alte Buryja)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Gal James, Dunja Vejzovic, Taylan Reinhard

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    8. Act I: Jaka razem vsecko to Stevkovo (Laca, Jenufa, alte Buryja, Altgesell, Barena)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Ales Briscein, Gal James, Dunja Vejzovic, David McShane, Xiaoyi Xu

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    9. Act II: Prelude

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    10. Act II: Necham jeste dvere otevreny (Kusterin Buryja, Jenufa)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Iris Vermillion, Gal James

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    11. Act II: Ba, ta tvoje okenicka (Kusterin Buryja)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Iris Vermillion

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    12. Act II: Tetko Kostelnicko, postala jste cedulku (Steva Buryja, Kusterin Buryja, Jenufa, Laca)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Taylan Reinhard, Iris Vermillion, Gal James, Ales Briscein

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    13. Act II: Ale videl jsem vchazet sohaje (Laca, Kusterin Buryja)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Ales Briscein, Iris Vermillion

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    14. Act II: Co chvila … co chvila … (Kusterin Buryja)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Iris Vermillion

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    15. Act II: Mamicko, mam tezkou hlavu (Jenufa)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Gal James, Fuyu Iwaki

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    16. Act II: Kde to je? (Jenufa, Kusterin Buryja)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Gal James, Iris Vermillion

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    17. Act II: Tot' zrovna jde! (Kusterin Buryja, Laca, Jenufa)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Iris Vermillion, Ales Briscein, Gal James

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    18. Act III: Neni ti teskno, Jenufko? (Schaferin, Jenufa, Laca, Kusterin Buryja)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Fran Lubahn, Gal James, Ales Briscein, Iris Vermillion

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    19. Act III: Dej Buh stesti … (Dorfrichter, Schaferin, Laca, Jenufa, Kusterin Buryja, Richterin)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Chor der Oper Graz, Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Konstantin Sfiris, Fran Lubahn, Ales Briscein, Gal James, Stefanie Hierlmeier, Iris Vermillion

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    20. Act III: Vidis, Laco, ja to tusila (Jenufa, Laca)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Gal James, Ales Briscein

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    21. Act III: A hen…uz jsou tu! (Laca, Karolka, Steva Buryja, Jenufa)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Ales Briscein, Tatjana Miyus, Taylan Reinhard, Gal James

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    22. Act III: To bylo nakeho (Dorfrichter, Kusterin Buryja, Laca, Richterin, Barena, Jenufa, alte Buryja)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Chor der Oper Graz, Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Konstantin Sfiris, Iris Vermillion, Ales Briscein, Stefanie Hierlmeier, Xiaoyi Xu, Gal James, Dunja Vejzovic

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    23. Act III: Chudatko! (Stimme, Kusterin Buryja, Jano, Dorfrichter, Steva, alte Buryja, Karolka, Jenufa, Laca)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Chor der Oper Graz, Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Hana Batinic, Istvan Szecsi, Iris Vermillion, Nazanin Ezazi, Konstantin Sfiris, Taylan Reinhard, Dunja Vejzovic, Tatjana Miyus, Gal James, Ales Briscein

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    24. Act III: Jeste jsem tu ja! (Kusterin Buryja, People, Jenufa, Karolka, Laca, Schaferin)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Chor der Oper Graz, Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Iris Vermillion, Gal James, Tatjana Miyus, Ales Briscein, Fran Lubahn

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    25. Act III: Vstante, pestounko moja! (Jenufa, Kusterin Buryja, Laca)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Gal James, Iris Vermillion, Ales Briscein

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan

    26. Act III: Odesli. Jdi take! (Jenufa, Laca)

      Composer: Leoš Janáček

      Ensemble: Grazer Philharmonische Orchester

      Performer: Gal James, Ales Briscein

      Conductor: Dirk Kaftan


Jenufa was Janácek’s third opera, based on the play Její pastorkyna “Her Stepdaughter”, by Gabriela Preissová. The libretto is a grim tale of complicated relationships in a village context, with violence and tragedy driving the drama. More importantly, this is the opera in which Janácek’s distinctive musical voice became more established after the folk-influenced Romanticism of his earlier period.

There are quite a few recordings of Jenufa around these days, and I pulled out my copy of the classic 1977 Supraphon recording conducted by František Jílek by way of orientation. I had forgotten quite how good this is, and still sounding very fresh despite its vintage. I was glad to have it to hand, since the libretto in the booklet for this Graz recording is given only in Czech and German, the Supraphon edition helping us out with both English and French as well.

The Graz cast is good, with the main characters all strong enough and mostly well characterised. There are a few weaker moments, but I’m reluctant to point out any names in particular since voices I’d marked up as being weaker links tended to redeem themselves further along. Recorded live, this Graz recording is very much a theatre version as you would expect, so if you are used to more opulent versions such as the EMI, now Warner Classics Prague recording with Libuse Domaninská conducted by Bohumil Gregor this might seem a step backwards. There are advantages to be heard however. The vocal balance is much more natural in the Oper Graz, and while the scale is less grand the orchestral detail is more direct, the impact of the drama less extravagantly ‘operatic’, if you follow my meaning. If language is an issue then Chandos’s version in English might be of interest, but you still need the libretto to hand to really be able to follow what is going on. With Janácek’s specific connections with the setting of his native language to music this always sounds like a distortion too far for me – even with the authoritative conducting of Sir Charles Mackerras.

This Graz production is not the last word on Jenufa. That honour probably has to go to Elisabeth Söderström and Sir Charles Mackerras with the Vienna Philharmonic on Decca, but this Oehms Classics recording is a version which will grow on you. Personally, I have to admit finding it hard to avoid being drawn back to the special character brought to the title role by Gabriela Benacková in that Supraphon recording. There is no denying that the strength of an all-Czech cast and orchestra is very compelling in this opera. Gal James is very good as well though, and deeply affecting in crucial moments such as Scene 6 in Act 2 where, all alone, Jenufa sings of her baby as yet oblivious to the unfolding tragedy. The Stepmother’s anguished cry towards the end is truly chilling, and stands as an emblem for the admirably realistic approach in this production – one you can add to your collection with confidence.

-- Dominy Clements, MusicWeb International