This year’s Janáček Brno Festival offers opera lovers an extraordinary opportunity. Within a short span, two productions of Janáček’s Káťa Kabanová, crafted by two of the world’s leading opera directors, will be presented on the stage of the Janáček Theatre. Audiences thus have a unique chance to compare contrasting directorial and visual approaches to this intimate, heart-wrenching drama.
The Iconic Return of Carsen’s Káťa on a Sheet of Water
First to return to the festival stage is Robert Carsen’s legendary production, performed by the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno and conducted by Ondrej Olos (30 & 31 October). Originally created for Flemish Opera and performed in over twenty of the world’s premier opera houses, this production centers around a striking visual concept: a body of water covering the entire stage, serving as a living symbol and mirror of Káťa’s inner isolation. In the title role, Kateřina Kněžíková excels in a riveting performance that earned her a shortlist nomination for the prestigious Thalia Award.
30 October, 7 p.m., TICKETS
31 October, 3 p.m.,TICKETS
Psychological Depth in Krzysztof Warlikowski’s Munich Production
On Friday, 13 November, the festival welcomes a guest appearance by the prestigious Bayerische Staatsoper from Munich. Director Krzysztof Warlikowski, in his latest production conducted by Robert Jindra, views Káťa as an outcast woman trapped in a web of societal hypocrisy. Powerful set design, lighting, and video projections construct a raw visual landscape of Káťa’s inner anguish and mounting guilt.
13 November, 8 p.m.,TICKETS
Don’t miss this unique encounter of two world-class directorial styles on a single festival stage!
