Jenůfa

Jenůfa is the first classical stage work by Leoš Janáček, the globally renowned Czech opera composer.

Leoš Janáček was enthralled by the Czech writer Gabriela Preissová’s realistic drama Her Stepdaughter, which had been staged in 1890 without great success. Janáček himself adapted the play into a libretto, while retaining the  original literary form, thus being one of the pioneers of opera sung in prose, not in verse, as had been the convention.

With an acute sense for earthy drama and with enormous empathy, he depicted human relationships amid the harsh universe of a self-contained village community, where everyone knows each other’s business. This milieu affects the life of the young Jenůfa and, particularly, governs the behaviour of her stepmother Kostelnička, who strives to maintain her reputation as a virtuous woman and the villagers’ respect. Determined to preserve her standing, she even goes so far as to secretly murder Jenůfa’s illegitimate child.

• Approximate running time: 2 hours 20 minutes, 1 intermission (20 minutes)
• Language: In Czech, surtitles in English, Czech
• Recommended age 15+

Premiere performances: 22 and 24 May 2025 at the National Theatre

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