Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, who lived in Brno for a large portion of his life. Since his death in 1928, he has been recognised as one of the most important exponents of musical nationalism of the 20th century.
Born in Moravia in 1854, Janáček became a choirboy in the Abbey of Saint Thomas in Brno in 1865, where his musical talent was quickly recognised. He proceeded to study at the various conservatories of Prague, Leipzig and Vienna, before returning to Brno as a teacher and composer, writing a number of pieces of chamber music. He remained closely connected to his roots in Moravia and was deeply interested in the folk music of his country. He spent a large amount of time collecting folk songs and published the journal Hudební Listy (Musical Pages) between 1884 and 1888. The scales and melodies of Moravian folk music greatly influenced his musical works, and all contributed to Janáček becoming one of the foremost Czech composers.
Janáček’s intimate knowledge of Moravian musical styling not only influenced his chamber music, but also his operas. He would eavesdrop on conversations, noting the cadence and rhythm of the Czech speech, and use this knowledge effectively in his operas, writing the music around the libretto and speech of the characters.
Throughout his life, Janáček visited Russia on several occasions, and took an interest in Russian language and literature. The libretto of his last opera, From the House of the Dead, was an adapted translation of the 1862 novel Notes from the House of the Dead by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Welsh National Opera co-produced Sir David Pountney’s five-star production with Scottish Opera which we last performed during Autumn 2017 Season, before taking it to Brno Festival later the same year
In August 1928, Janáček developed pneumonia while on a trip to the small Czech town of Štramberk, which resulted in his death on 12 August 1928 , at the age of 74. His funeral was a large, public affair, and the music from the final scene of The Cunning Little Vixen was performed at the service. He was buried in the Field of Honour at the Central Cemetery in Brno.
WNO have a rich history of performing Janáček operas. In 2019, we began our current Janáček Cycle with The Cunning Little Vixen, a lively and compelling opera that details the circle of life, and all the joy and misery that comes along with it. In Spring 2022 we staged the dramatic and intense Jenůfa, in which Janáček examines familial shame and forgiveness in a claustrophobic Moravian village, and this Autumn we perform a brand new production of The Makropulos Affair, in which we see the quest for eternal life, accompanied by one of the composer’s most challenging scores. Come and experience our latest Janáček opera on tour this Autumn, visiting Cardiff, Llandudno, Plymouth, Birmingham, Southampton and Oxford between 16 September and 2 December.