''Šárka'', opus 51, is an
opera
Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
in three acts by
Zdeněk Fibich
Zdeněk Fibich (, 21 December 1850 in Všebořice – 15 October 1900 in Prague) was a Czech composer of classical music. Among his compositions are chamber works (including two string quartets, a piano trio, piano quartet and a quintet for pia ...
to a Czech
libretto
A libretto (From the Italian word , ) 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 th ...
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, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...
, 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 () 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 a partial angliciz ...
''.
[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
(), 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 work in si ...
'' 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 on 28 December 1897. ''Šárka'' is Fibich's most popular opera and is regularly revived in the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
.
There are two archive radio recordings (1950, 1970) and three commercial recordings:
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Marie Podvalová (Šárka),
Lubomír Havlák (tenor Ctirad),
:cs:Václav Bednář (Prince Premysl),
Marta Krásová (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 post-World War II Czech opera singers that ...
(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.
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. Th ...
1950
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Eva Děpoltová (Šárka),
Vilém Přibyl (Ctirad),
Václav Zítek (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 (mezzo-soprano, Vlasta),
:cs:Josef Klán (bass, Vitoraz). Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra, Brno Janáček Opera Chorus Conductor Jan Štych. Supraphon 1978
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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 w ...
(Šárka),
Janez Lotrič (tenor, Ctirad),
Dalibor Jenis (Prince Premysl),
Ida Kirilová (Vlasta),
Simona Šaturová (Libyna),
:sk:Adriana Kohútková (Svatava),
Klaudia Dernerová
Klaudia Dernerová (born 21 June 1971) is a Slovak opera soprano and Alfréd Radok Award winner.
She received the Alfréd Radok Award for Best Actress in 2000 for her portrayal of the title role in a Czech production of the Dmitri Shostakovich ...
Mlada; (mezzo)
Hana Minutillo Radka;
Marta Beňačková (Hosta),
Adriana Hlasová (Castava) &
Vladimir Kubovcik (Vitoraz). Vienna Concert Choir; Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted
Sylvain Cambreling. Orfeo 1998 (Live, Wiener Konzerthaus)
[The 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
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarka
Czech-language operas
Operas by Zdeněk Fibich
1897 operas
Operas