Janacek;Leos Cunning Little VI [Blu-ray] [Import]

This is never an easy opera to present on video as the mixture of fable and off beat situations provides many challenges to the producer. This is a delightful production with outstanding picture and sound quality. The sets and costumes are very original with a magical vixen and the rest of the cast are really just as good. I found it significantly better than the earlier release under Sir Charles Mackerras and can highly recommend it. An absolute delight!

Janacek's Cunning little Vixen is a very good place to start appreciating Janacek's operas as it is essentially much more accessible than some of his other works which deal with particularly difficult human situations. This opera is firmly based on the woodland animal world surrounding the life of a vixen and her interaction with the woodsman who initially captures her and subsequently tries to keep her as a pet. She escapes.

The story follows the group of animals and the small group of humans as they age. The human group interact with each other and also with the woodland world. The animals do the same in reverse. Both groups inevitably clash with each other but continue to behave in their own particular ways. Basically Janacek is writing an opera showing how life continually moves on and recycles.

Janacek first came across this story as a novella `Adventures of Vixen Sharp-Ears' which was published in 51 parts in a literary journal before being turned into book form. It is still in print. He immediately wanted to write the opera despite advice to the contrary. He stated that for years he had listened to the animals, memorising their speech. He declared "I am at home with them." He later confided that this score was the favourite of all his operas.

All this can all be enjoyed at a fairly superficial level as a simple tale. It can also be seen as rather moralistic which may well be what inspired Janacek to write it bearing in mind his close identification with the language of the animals.

This production is perfectly conceived incorporating quite a large cast of acting/singing children who take on most of the woodland animal parts plus adults who take on the human roles plus the vixen and fox roles. The costumes are beautifully designed to fit in with this woodland world, as indeed is the staging - a constant treat for the eyes. All the sung roles are carried out with complete understanding of the parallel but conflicting worlds of the animal and human situation and also within those separate worlds. The conflicting elements of fantasy and reality are wonderfully realised. I am sure that Janacek would have been delighted with the result.

The recording is outstanding giving wonderfully crisp imaging and sympathetic camera work combined with equally clear and well-balanced DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound as well as stereo. There is also an interesting bonus film providing `An encounter backstage at the Paris Opera'. I would suggest that this delightful opera is well-worth getting to know and that this recording is worth every one of the full 5 stars.

Further note on alternatives
There is an excellent DVD only version with Mackerras conducting an outstanding cast and production from 1995 which might be of alternative interest. In many ways, it is the version I prefer to watch, excellent though this one is. My wife feels the same way too!

OMG OMG = (Oh My God)

At the end of it, I was the person who felt like tucking my tail between my legs....

I have been a lover of Opera for the last 40 years. I am sad and happy that I did not take a Janacek Opera as seriously as I should have. Sad that I am about to cut such a sorry figure here, and Happy that I have come across a work that has appealed to me in the first ever hearing... an experience I have rarely had.

THIS REVIEW (Actually Comment) IS MEANT FOR IDIOTS LIKE ME WHO HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THE BEAUTY OF THIS OPERA. All others need not read this.

Having said that, I would like to confess that I had given Janacek the short shrift almost all my life of Operas composed by him. I thought I had it all... Wagner.. Humperdink... Debussy... Berg.. name them all... but had neglected listening to Janacek. I did today... and the effect was more than just magical.
I do not remember in the last 40 years wherein a work, whether opera, ballet, symphony, chamber or anything else having had an INSTANT appeal as I have had today with this one. I cannot review it, as I have not yet heard another recording of this one... I can only comment on the effect it had on me.

For those who have never heard this earlier, ... 10 stars... buy it, especially if you dig 20th century works. I am one of those who has listened and seen it for the first time. I can bet my last penny that most lovers of serious music have never experienced this one.

The music is just gorgeous. That swings it to start with. The performance of it comes through like velvet. The staging is, just fabulous, and the recording in hi-def is as expected of it.

Unlike my other reviews, this does not qualify... for the simple reason that I have not had the opportunity of seeing another production (except on You Tube) that too, today. I intend buying DVDs of this production that have come out earlier to get a different perspective of the work.

All I can say is, for those who have been Idiots like me, who have not bothered to hear, listen and see it on either stage or on video, please give it a chance, and I will assure you, THOU SHALL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.

BUY IT. To those who are either Czeck and familiar with the work or those familiar with it, feel free to let me know about this work and performances that are good and available on the Video...