''Libuše'' () is a "festival opera" in three acts, with music by

Bedřich Smetana Bedřich Smetana ( , ; 2 March 1824 – 12 May 1884) was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style that became closely identified with his people's aspirations to a cultural and political "revival." He has been regarded i ...

. The

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 ...

was originally written in German by

Josef Wenzig Josef Wenzig (18 January 1807 – 28 August 1876) was a Bohemian writer and author of librettos. Life Born in Prague, Empire of Austria, Wenzig was an educator in noble families, Rector (academia), rector of the Czech Realschule in Prague and ...

, and was then translated into Czech by . In Czech historical myth,

Libuše , Libussa, Libushe or, historically ''Lubossa'', is a legendary ancestor of the Přemyslid dynasty and the Czech people as a whole. According to legend, she was the youngest but wisest of three sisters, who became queen after their father died; s ...

, the title character, prophesied the founding of

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

. The opera was composed in 1871–72 for the coronation of

Franz Josef Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I (german: Franz Joseph Karl, hu, Ferenc József Károly, 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 2 December 1848 until his ...

as King of Bohemia. This did not happen and Smetana saved ''Libuše'' for the opening of the National Theatre in

, which took place nine years later on 11 June 1881. After the destruction of the National Theatre in a fire, the same opera opened the reconstructed theatre in 1883. The first US performance was reported to have occurred March 1986, in a concert version at

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...

with

Eve Queler Eve Queler (born January 11, 1931) is an American conductor and the '' emerita'' Artistic Director of the Opera Orchestra of New York (OONY). She founded the OONY in 1971, after having worked on the staff of the Metropolitan Opera and the New Yor ...

and the

Opera Orchestra of New York The Opera Orchestra of New York (also known as OONY) specializes in the performance of opera in concert form. It is particularly known for its work in presenting rarely performed repertory. Among the numerous American premieres it has presented are ...

. In the UK, it was first staged by

University College Opera University College Opera, or UCOpera, is the student opera company of University College London. The operas are staged by professional singers, directors and designers, with the orchestra and chorus drawn from the student body. Founded in 1951, ...

in 2019. Commentators have noted the pageant-like nature of the opera and the influence 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 ...

in the music.

Roles

Synopsis

Act 1

The brothers Chrudoš and Sťáhlav are fighting over the settlement of their father's estate, with Queen Libuše as arbiter. Czech law dictates either co-management or equal division of the land. German law, which Chrudoš, the elder, favours, would demand

primogeniture Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...

, where the elder sibling would inherit the entire property. Libuše decides in favour of equal division, to the anger of Chrudoš, who leaves. Because some of her male subjects, including Chrudoš, do not fully accept the idea of a woman as their ruler, Libuše then asks her subjects to choose her husband. They say that she should make her own decision on her spouse, where it turns out that she prefers the farmer Přemysl. The act ends as the subjects worry about Chrudoš and the possibility that he will sow discord.

Act 2

''Scene 1'' Part of the reason for Chrudoš' ill humour is revealed, in the relationship of Chrudoš to Krasava. Chrudoš loves Krasava, who returns his sentiments, but considers him insufficiently romantic in his personality. Krasava thus feigns romantic interest in Sťáhlav to make Chrudoš jealous. Her father, Lutobor, asserts his authority and demands that she reconcile the quarreling brothers. Krasava then challenges Chrudoš to either (a) forgive and embrace her, or (b) kill her with his sword. Chrudoš takes the route of forgiveness, and reconciles with Sťáhlav. ''Scene 2'' Přemysl is watching over the harvest on his lands. A royal escort then arrives to bring him to Queen Libuše, to be married.

Act 3

A celebration of the double wedding, of Libuše to Přemysl, and of Krasava to Chrudoš, is taking place. Přemysl devises a way for Chrudoš to apologize to the queen while still saving face. A moment of prophecy then takes hold of Queen Libuše, and she tells of future visions for the Czech nation.

Orchestration

Piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, four trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, triangle, cymbals, bass drum, harp, strings. Onstage trumpets.

Recordings

*1949, Alois Klíma (conductor), Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of the Prague Radio;

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 ...

, Theodor Šrubař,

Karel Kalaš Karel Kalaš (9 October 1910 – 3 May 2001) was a Czech operatic bass and film and television actor. He first rose to prominence at the Slovak National Theatre, where he was a member from 1934 through 1939. He left there to join the roster of p ...

Beno Blachut Beno Blachut (14 June 1913 – 10 January 1985) was a lauded Czech operatic tenor. An icon in his own nation, Blachut drew international acclaim through his many commercial recordings of Czech music. He was an instrumental part of the post-World ...

, Jaroslav Veverka, Bořek Rujan, Ludmila Červinková,

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 ...

, Miluše Dvořáková, Miloslava Fidlerová, Věra Krilová, Jaroslav Gleich * 1966,

Jaroslav Krombholc Jaroslav Krombholc (Prague, 30 January 1918 - 16 July 1983) was a Czechoslovak conductor. Biography Krombholc is born in a musician family. He studied in Prague Conservatory in 1937-1940 and nearby Václav Talich until 1942. After, he became cond ...

(conductor), Prague National Theatre Orchestra and Chorus;

Naděžda Kniplová Naděžda Kniplová (née Pokorná; 18 April 1932 – 14 January 2020) was a Czech operatic soprano who had an active international career from the 1950s through the 1980s. Kniplová possessed a large voice with a sonorous, metallic, dark timbre ...

, Vacláv Bednár, Věra Soukupová *1983,

Zdeněk Košler Zdeněk Košler (March 25, 1928 – July 2, 1995) was a Czechoslovak conductor, who played an important role in Czechoslovak musical life of the second half of 20th century, notably during the 1960s and 1980s.Sleeve note of the Supraphon CD (SU 007 ...

(conductor), Prague National Theatre Orchestra and Chorus; Gabriela Beňačková-Čápová,

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 ...

Antonín Švorc Antonín Švorc (12 February 1934, in Jaroměř – 21 February 2011) was a Czech operatic bass-baritone. He studied with J. Berlíka at the Prague Conservatory before making his professional opera debut at the Liberec Theatre in 1955 where he wa ...

Leo Marian Vodička Leo Marian Vodička (born 8 April 1950) is a Czech operatic tenor who has had an active international career since the early 1970s. He has sung on a number of complete opera recordings and appears in several filmed opera performances. Born in Brn ...

, Eva Děpoltová *1995,

Oliver Dohnányi Oliver may refer to: Arts, entertainment and literature Books * ''Oliver the Western Engine'', volume 24 in ''The Railway Series'' by Rev. W. Awdry * '' Oliver Twist'', a novel by Charles Dickens Fictional characters * Ariadne Oliver ...

(conductor), Prague National Theatre Orchestra and Chorus;

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 ...

, Vratislav Kříž, Luděk Vele, Miloslav Podskalský, Miroslava Volková, Marie Veselá, Jan Markvart, Miroslav Švejda, Pavel Červinka,

Jana Jonášová Jana Jonášová (born 28 April 1943) is a Czech opera singer. One of the most important Czech coloratura sopranos of her generation, she has had an active international career at the world's major opera houses and concert stages for roughly fou ...

, Jitka Soběhartová, Helena Kaupová

References

Notes Sources *

Warrack, John John Hamilton Warrack (born 1928, in London) is an English music critic, writer on music, and oboist. Warrack is the son of Scottish conductor and composer Guy Warrack. He was educated at Winchester College (1941-6) and then at the Royal College o ...

and West, Ewan, ''The Oxford Dictionary of Opera'' New York: OUP: 1992

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Libuse (opera) Operas by Bedřich Smetana Czech-language operas 1881 operas Operas Operas set in Bohemia