Everything strives towards the light
Interview with Asmik Grigorian on »Jenůfa«.
Jenufa
Cast 23.10.2022
Conductor
Tomáš Hanus
Production
David Pountney
Set design
Robert Israel
Costume Design
Marie-Jeanne Lecca
Lichtgestaltung
Mimi Jordan Sherin
Choreography
Renato Zanella
Laca
David Butt Philip
Števa Buryjia
Pavol Breslik
Die Küsterin Buryja
Eliška Weissová
Jenůfa
Asmik Grigorian
Barena
Jenni Hietala
Jenni Hietala
Die alte Buryja
Margarita Nekrasova
Altgesell
Marcus Pelz
Dorfrichter
Dan Paul Dumitrescu
Frau des Dorfrichters
Stephanie Houtzeel
Karolka
Anna Bondarenko
Schäferin
Daria Sushkova
Jana
Ileana Tonca
Details
For director David Pountney, Jenůfa, despite all its gloom, is an opera of redemption in which the protagonist matures into a human heroine. For even after numerous blows of fate that befall her in a narrow-minded society, she finds the strength to forgive all those who are to blame for her misfortune. Asmik Grigorian in the title role is an exceptional phenomenon on stage: an artist who penetrates the roles entrusted to her with the highest intensity and creates characters of breathlessly captivating power.
PLOT
The old Burya lives in her mill together with her grandson Števa and his cousin Jenůfa. Jenůfa is expecting Števa’s child, but has so far managed to keep it a secret. Števa’s stepbrother, the farmhand Laca, also loves Jenůfa. In a fit of jealous rage, Laca slashes Jenůfa’s face, ruining the beauty that enabled her to win Števa. Jenůfa has given birth to her child in secret at the house of her stepmother Kostelnička. Števa ignores Kostelnička’s pleas to acknowledge the child as his son. Laca is now her only hope: he has long since asked forgiveness for his misdeed, and would be prepared in take Jenůfa. However, he is appalled in learn that she has had a child by Števa. Kostelnička tells him that the child is dead, and sends him away to prepare everything from the wedding. Whilst Jenůfa is asleep, Kostelnička takes the baby and drowns him in the icy stream. She then convinces her stepdaughter that the child has died whilst Jenůfa was ill with a fever. The body of a baby is discovered on the day of Jenůfa and Laca’s wedding, to which Števa and his fiancée Karolka are also invited. Plagued by qualms of conscience, Kostelnička confesses her crime. Jenůfa forgives Kostelnička, gives Laca his freedom, but he stands by her, confessing his love for her.
For director David Pountney, Jenůfa, despite all its gloom, is an opera of redemption in which the protagonist matures into a human heroine. For even after numerous blows of fate that befall her in a narrow-minded society, she finds the strength to forgive all those who are to blame for her misfortune. Asmik Grigorian in the title role is an exceptional phenomenon on stage: an artist who penetrates the roles entrusted to her with the highest intensity and creates characters of breathlessly captivating power.
PLOT
The old Burya lives in her mill together with her grandson Števa and his cousin Jenůfa. Jenůfa is expecting Števa’s child, but has so far managed to keep it a secret. Števa’s stepbrother, the farmhand Laca, also loves Jenůfa. In a fit of jealous rage, Laca slashes Jenůfa’s face, ruining the beauty that enabled her to win Števa. Jenůfa has given birth to her child in secret at the house of her stepmother Kostelnička. Števa ignores Kostelnička’s pleas to acknowledge the child as his son. Laca is now her only hope: he has long since asked forgiveness for his misdeed, and would be prepared in take Jenůfa. However, he is appalled in learn that she has had a child by Števa. Kostelnička tells him that the child is dead, and sends him away to prepare everything from the wedding. Whilst Jenůfa is asleep, Kostelnička takes the baby and drowns him in the icy stream. She then convinces her stepdaughter that the child has died whilst Jenůfa was ill with a fever. The body of a baby is discovered on the day of Jenůfa and Laca’s wedding, to which Števa and his fiancée Karolka are also invited. Plagued by qualms of conscience, Kostelnička confesses her crime. Jenůfa forgives Kostelnička, gives Laca his freedom, but he stands by her, confessing his love for her.