Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Czech classical music with Bedřich Smetana's "Libuše," a grand opera that encapsulates the essence of national identity and historical grandeur. Released on August 16, 2018, by Český rozhlas, this album is a testament to Smetana's mastery, offering a sweeping narrative divided into three acts, each brimming with intricate musical compositions and powerful vocal performances.
"Libuše" is a festive opera that tells the story of the legendary Czech princess and prophetess, Libuše, whose wisdom and foresight shape the destiny of her people. The opera is divided into three acts: "Libuše's Judgement," "Libuše's Marriage," and "Libuše's Prophecy," each containing multiple scenes that weave a compelling tale of love, power, and prophecy. The final act culminates in a series of six tableaux depicting key moments from Bohemia's history, adding a layer of historical depth to the narrative.
With a duration of 2 hours and 34 minutes, this album is a comprehensive exploration of Smetana's musical genius. The overture sets the stage with its majestic themes, while the subsequent scenes delve into the complexities of the characters and their relationships. The choir and soloists deliver stunning performances, bringing the story to life with their emotive renditions.
Bedřich Smetana, a pivotal figure in Czech music, composed "Libuše" as part of his broader effort to create a national musical identity. His work is characterized by its lyrical beauty, dramatic intensity, and deep connection to Czech folklore and history. This album is a perfect introduction to Smetana's oeuvre, showcasing his ability to blend orchestral and vocal elements into a cohesive and captivating whole.
Whether you are a seasoned classical music enthusiast or a newcomer to the genre, "Libuše" offers a rich and rewarding listening experience. The album's historical and cultural significance, combined with its musical brilliance, makes it a standout addition to any classical music collection.
Tracks
Libuše, Festive Opera in 3 Acts: OvertureBedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act I. Libuše's Judgement: I. Scene 1: „Slovutná dcero Kroka…“ (Radmila, Krasava, Libuše, choir)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act I. Libuše's Judgement: II. Scene 1: „Nemohu dále…“ (Krasava, Radmila)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act I. Libuše's Judgement: III. Scene 2: „Běda, když mezi vlastními bratry…“ (choir, Chrudoš, Šťáhlav, Lutobor, Radovan)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act I. Libuše's Judgement: IV. Scene 3: „Ten had tu schází…“ (Chrudoš, Libuše, Šťáhlav, Radovan, Lutobor, choir)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act I. Libuše's Judgement: V. Scene 3: „Vy slyšeli jste pohanění moje…“ (Libuše, Radovan, choir)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act II. Libuše's Marriage: I. Scene 1: „Napojte koně teď a čekejte…“ (Lutobor)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act II. Libuše's Marriage: II. Scene 1: „Můj otče! Ach, již druhý dlouhý den jsme na cestě…“ (Krasava, Lutobor, Šťáhlav, Radmila)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act II. Libuše's Marriage: III. Scene 1: „Jak divý mrak uháněl Chrudoš…“ (Lutobor)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act II. Libuše's Marriage: IV. Scene 2: „Můj ujec zval mě k hrobu otcovu…“ (Chrudoš, Krasava, Radmila, Šťáhlav, Lutobor)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act II. Libuše's Marriage: V. Scene 3: „Heja, heja! Bez klidu dále…“ (four farmhands)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act II. Libuše's Marriage: VI. Scene 3: „Již plane slunce, blahý míru sen…“ (Přemysl)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act II. Libuše's Marriage: VII. Scene 4: „Do konce dílo je hotovo…“ (choir, Přemysl)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act II. Libuše's Marriage: VIII. Scene 4: „Já ale zůstanu… Ó, vy lípy, praotcův ruka vsadila vás...“ (Přemysl)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act II. Libuše's Marriage: IX. Scene 5: „Od Libuše ti pozdrav nesem…“ (Radovan, choir, Přemysl)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act II. Libuše's Marriage: X. Scene 5: „Nuž pokoj s vámi…“ (Přemysl, choir, Radovan)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act III. Libuše's Prophecy: I. Scene 1: „Mír zjednám mezi oběma zas bratry…“ (Libuše, Lutobor, Chrudoš, Šťáhlav, Radmila, Krasava)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act III. Libuše's Prophecy: II. Scene 2: „On jde! Ještě nedohledný je…“ (Libuše)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act III. Libuše's Prophecy: III. Scene 3: „Nuž vítej nám…“ (choir, Libuše)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act III. Libuše's Prophecy: IV. Scene 5: Ceremonial processionBedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act III. Libuše's Prophecy: V. Scene 5: „Hoj, tvrdý Vyšehrad, buď stokrát vítán! ...“ (Přemysl, Libuše, Radovan, Krasava, Radmila, Šťáhlav, Chrudoš, Lutobor, choir)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act III. Libuše’s Prophecy with Six Tableaux from Bohemia’s History: Tableau I: Břetislav a JitkaBedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act III. Libuše’s Prophecy with Six Tableaux from Bohemia’s History: Tableau II: Jaroslav ze ŠternberkaBedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act III. Libuše’s Prophecy with Six Tableaux from Bohemia’s History: Tableau III: Otakar II., Eliška a Karel IV.Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act III. Libuše’s Prophecy with Six Tableaux from Bohemia’s History: Tableau IV: Žižka, Prokop Veliký a husitéBedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act III. Libuše’s Prophecy with Six Tableaux from Bohemia’s History: Tableau V: Jiří z Poděbrad (Libuše)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
Act III. Libuše’s Prophecy with Six Tableaux from Bohemia’s History: Tableau VI: Královský hrad pražský (Libuše, Krasava, Radmila, Šťáhlav, Přemysl, Chrudoš, Radovan, Lutobor, choir)Bedřich Smetana, Hana Janků, René Tuček, Václav Halíř, Antonín Jurečka, Jindřich Doubek, František Kunc, Zdenka Kareninová, Jarmila Palivcová, Brno State Theater Orchestra, Brno State Theater Choir, František Jílek
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