London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle conductor; Agneta Eichenholz, Jenůfa; Katarina Karnéus, Kostelnička; Aleš Briscein, Laca; Nicky Spence, Steva; Jan Martiník, Starek, the Foreman/Mayor; Carole Wilson, Grandmother Buryjovka; Claire Barnett-Jones, Barena/Herdswoman; Hanna Hipp, Rychtarka; Erika Baikoff, Jano; Evelin Novak, Karolka
This was a very fine performance which might perhaps have been a great one had Asmik Gregorian been available to take the part of Jenufa, as originally planned – unfortunately she had to cancel, maybe a fortnight before the performance (but I can’t really grumble – I heard her singing live at ROHCG in October 2021, and she was really excellent).
Jenufa is not a work I grew up with and I am still discovering its music. It’s earlier than the other operas and has a more ‘operatic’ feel in some ways…..an identifiable aria (to the Virgin Mary!), a love duet at the end: it’s less quirky than the other Janacek operas. But it has many of the same features – speech-inflected melodies, a driving sense of drama, and some folky music (though composed by Janacek himself from his knowledge of Moravian folk music.)
This was very much a concert performance, with music stands and no coordinated approach to dramatic interaction. Sitting as i was about 4 rows from the front, this was slightly more disconcerting than it would have been were I sitting further back. Some people – particularly Nicky Spence (who has been performing Steva for some years on stage) gave it the full Monty, with lots of movement, and facial expressions. The Mayor’s daughter, Evelin Novak, was also really throwing herself into the role. Katarina Karneus was very good at projecting the gloomy severe demeanour of the Kostelnicka and Erika Baikoff very lively as Jano. Others – notably Agneta Eichenholz as Jenufa – tended to keep their noses in the score – Ms Eichenholz was pretty expressionless throughout and, except at the very end, didn’t really react to anyone else on stage. But, given that acting is not really part of the job description for such an event, I don’t think I can complain too much…..
Rattle and the LSO were superb – letting rip at the dramatic highlights, sustaining the tension in Act 2 and the violent ending of Act 1. There was a splendid bite to the folk music (aided by the excellent LSO Chorus), some excellent solos (e.g. by the leader, and first oboe) and some dramatic timpani thwacking. There was a glorious glow to the strings in the final 5 minutes and the cello section were outstanding throughout, I thought.
The cast was in general extremely good. Katarina Karneus (who sang one of the best Kundry’s I have ever heard 18 months ago with Opera North) was an outstanding Kostelnicka, able to convey through her voice and diction the full bitterness and horror of the role – her Wagnerian power was important in doing this, with some piercing top notes. Both Nicky Spence as Steva and Aleš Briscein as Laca were also strongly sung parts, with clear diction – the latter, a native Czech speaker, was particularly impressive with untiring stentorian energy (it sounds a difficult role to sing). The supporting roles were well taken. About Agneta Eichenholz as Jenufa I had a few questions in my mind – yes, it was well sung, a strong voice with little vibrato, but not really as fully characterised a rendition as it might have been. There wasn’t, I mean, the shading, the variation of tones and colours, that a great singer might have brought to the role. Maybe it was a little under-characterised, but hers was much more than a good-enough performance- she projected the vulnerability, the passivity of Jenufa very well, though very differently from what I remember of the more strident, assertive and energetic Gregorian.
Aleš Briscein and Agneta Eichenholz, with Katarina Karneus and Nicky Spence to the left
John's musical journey 