''Šárka'', opus 51, is an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

in three acts by

Zdeněk Fibich Zdeněk Fibich (, 21 December 1850 in Loket (Benešov District), Všebořice – 15 October 1900 in Prague) was a List of Czech composers, Czech composer of european classical music, classical music. Among his compositions are chamber works (incl ...

to a Czech

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

by Anežka Schulzová, his student and lover. Fibich composed the full score over the period of 8 September 1896 to 10 March 1897. At the time, Czech audiences regarded Fibich with suspicion as being overly influenced by the music of

Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

, and Fibich had selected the legend of Šárka for this operatic subject to try to counter such sentiments. Even so, the opera still contains use of Wagner's idea of ''

leitmotif A leitmotif or leitmotiv () is a "short, recurring musical phrase" associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical concepts of ''idée fixe'' or ''motto-theme''. The spelling ''leitmotif'' is an anglici ...

''.Smaczny, Jan, "The Operas and Melodramas of Zdenĕk Fibich (1850–1900)" (1982–1983). ''Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association'', 109: pp. 119–133. The subject matter, the Bohemian legend of Šárka, which appears in 14th-century Czech literature, is related to that of Smetana's tone poem ''

Má vlast ''Má vlast'' (), also known as ''My Fatherland'', is a set of six symphonic poems composed between 1874 and 1879 by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. The six pieces, conceived as individual works, are often presented and recorded as a single ...

'' and the opera of the same name by Janáček. Schulzová used as her primary literary source an 1880 version of the story by J. Vrchlický.

Performance history

The opera received its first performance at the

Prague National Theatre The National Theatre ( cs, Národní divadlo) in Prague is known as the alma mater of Czech opera, and as the national monument of Czech history and art. The National Theatre belongs to the most important Czech cultural institutions, with a ri ...

on 28 December 1897. ''Šárka'' is Fibich's most popular opera and is regularly revived in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

. There are two archive radio recordings (1950, 1970) and three commercial recordings: *

Marie Podvalová Marie Podvalová (5 September 1909 – 16 May 1992) was a Czech opera singer who had a long career at the National Theatre in Prague from 1936 to 1978. A dramatic soprano who excelled in the Czech repertoire, she garnered particular acclaim for ...

(Šárka), Lubomír Havlák (tenor Ctirad), :cs:Václav Bednář (Prince Premysl),

Marta Krásová Marta Krásová (16 March 1901 – 20 February 1970) was a Czech operatic mezzo-soprano who had an active international career with major opera houses in Europe from 1922 until 1966. Born in Protivín, she died in Vráž, in the Beroun Distric ...

(Vlasta),

Milada Šubrtová Milada Šubrtová (24 May 1924 – 1 August 2011) was a Czech operatic soprano who had a lengthy career at the National Theatre in Prague from 1948 through 1991. She was part of an instrumental group of the post-World War II Czech opera singers ...

(Libyna), Miloslava Fidlerová (Svatava), Jaroslava Vymazalová (Mlada), Ludmila Hanzalíková (Radka), Marie Zalabáková (Hosta), Jaroslava Dobrá (Castava) & Jaroslav Veverka (Vitoraz). Prague National Theatre Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by

Zdeněk Chalabala Zdeněk Chalabala (18 April 1899 – 4 March 1962) was a Czechoslovak conductor. He conducted orchestras in Prague, Ostrava, Moscow. Chalabala was born in Uherské Hradiště. He studied conducting at the Brno Conservatory with František Neu ...

Supraphon Supraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, oriented mainly towards publishing classical music and popular music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers. History The Supraphon name was first registered as a trademark in 1932. T ...

1953 * Eva Děpoltová (Šárka),

Vilém Přibyl Vilém Přibyl (born Náchod, 10 April 1925 – died Brno, 21 July 1990) was a Czech operatic tenor. he made his professional debut at the age of 34 in Ústí nad Labem, in 1958. Life and career After serving during World War II, Přibyl trained ...

(Ctirad),

Václav Zítek Václav Zítek (24 March 1932 – 18 December 2011) was a Czech opera singer. A lyric baritone with a beautiful timbre and a wide vocal range, he was one of the leading Czech singers of the postwar generation. He particularly excelled in portraying ...

(baritone, Prince Premysl), Jaroslavá Janska (soprano, Libina), Bozena Effenberkova (soprano, Svatava), Jitka Pavlová (soprano, Mlada), Anna Barová, (mezzo, Radka), Véra Bakalová (alto, Hosta), Daniela Suryova (alto, Castava),

Eva Randová Eva Randová (born 31 December 1936) is a Czech operatic mezzo-soprano who made an international career based in Germany. She appeared at major opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera, and at festivals such as the Bayreuth Festival. She is k ...

(mezzo-soprano, Vlasta), :cs:Josef Klán (bass, Vitoraz). Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra, Brno Janáček Opera Chorus Conductor Jan Štych. Supraphon 1978 *

Eva Urbanová Eva Urbanová (born 20 April 1961) is a Czech operatic soprano who has had an active international career since 1987. She has been a principal artist at the National Theatre in Prague since 1990 and has appeared as a guest artist at many of the ...

(Šárka), Janez Lotrič (tenor, Ctirad), Dalibor Jenis (Prince Premysl), Ida Kirilová (Vlasta), Simona Šaturová (Libyna), :sk:Adriana Kohútková (Svatava), Klaudia Dernerová Mlada; (mezzo) Hana Minutillo Radka; Marta Beňačková (Hosta), Adriana Hlasová (Castava) & Vladimir Kubovcik (Vitoraz). Vienna Concert Choir; Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted

Sylvain Cambreling Sylvain Cambreling (born 2 July 1948 in Amiens, France) is a French conductor. Biography Trained as a trombone player, Cambreling studied at the Paris Conservatoire. He joined l' Orchestre Symphonique de Lyon (OSL) as a trombonist in 1971. In 19 ...

. Orfeo 2001 LiveThe Gramophone 2001 Fibich Sarka Dalibor Jenis bar Prince Pfemysl; Janez Lotric ten Ctirad; Vladimir Kubovcik bass Vitoraz; Ida Kirilova mez Vlasta; Eva Urbanova sop Sarka; Simona Saturova sop Libyna; Adriana Kohutkova sop Svatava; Klaudia Dernerova sop... 2 C5410O2H (133 minutes: DDO) Notes, text and translation included. ... Sylvain Cambreling conducts a strong and purposeful performance, recorded live in good, well-balanced radio sound - complete with applause at the ends of acts. It may not always be as idiomatic as the Czech version on Supraphon, but the impact is just as great.

Roles

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sarka Czech-language operas Operas by Zdeněk Fibich 1897 operas Operas