Sunday 24.02.2002 (PREMIERE)
19:30
Conductor: Seiji Ozawa
Director: David Pountney
Scenography: Robert Israel
Costumes: Marie-Jeanne Lecca
Light: Mimi Jordan Sherin
Grandma: Anny Schlemm
Laca Klemen, her Step-grandson: Jorma Silvasti
Steva Buryji, her Grandsonl: Torsten Kerl
Kostelnicka Buryjovka, widow, daughter-in-law: Agnes Baltsa
Jenufa, her Stepdaughter: Angela Denoke
2002 February 24, 27 March 2, 5, 8, May 29, June 1,5, 9
2006 April 29, May 2, 6, 9, 13
Staatsopernpremiere "Jenufa" live auf Österreich 1 am 24. 2.
JENUFA is about a stepmother and her stepdaughter. It is about two half-brother who are different in many ways and who love the same woman. JENUFA, the stepdaughter of Kostelnicka. STEVA is the brother who is a drunkard, but also owner of the mill. By his grandmother is still treated as the little boy who can do nothing wrong. LACA is the older half-brother who have to work for his half-brother. Laca have always wanted to be loved by "his" grand-mother, but she always preferred her real grandson Steva. JENUFA loves Steva, refuses Laca. KOSTELNICKA was married to a man who was a drunkard and who battered her. She see in Steva the same that was her husband, the man who made her so unhappy. She loves Jenufa, do want another life for her. Steva has to stop drinking for a year, then he can marry Jenufa. She didn't know that Jenufa was already pregnant with Steva's child.
Kostelnicka has told everybody that Jenufa is in Vienna, but a boy has been born in Kostelnicka's house. Laca has often visited her to talk about Jenufa. Steva has not come, not even after he was told that Jenufa was back. Kostelnicka has to send a threat to Steva to get him to come. He sees the child Steva, but refuses to marry Jenufa. He is afraid of her and of Kostelnicka. He calls Kostelnicka a witch, she is too learned and wise and stern, and he is afraid Jenufa will be like her. She has also lost her features, and smiles not so much. They would both be unhappy.
Then Laca comes and Kostelnicka decides to tell him all, since he comes to ask permission to ask Jenufa to become his wife. "Her reputation can still be saved" thinks Kostelnicka. He reacts strongly to the message. "Am I supposed to foster Steva's child!" he exclaims. Suddenly Kostelnicka has answered "the child is dead". She sends Laca out to do some errand. And for the first time, she SEES the child. It pains her to do choose this, but the words she has said is said. She goes out and kills the child.
Jenufa who wakes up from her sleep, her sleep that is different than usual, since Steva was coming. It is almost a mad.scene. In the end where is my child. Her belief in Kostelnicka is total. She thinks she have taken the child with her to force Steva to accept him and a marriage.
Kostelnicka comes back and Laca too. Jenufa accepts Kostelnicka's story that she had a fever and that the boy died. Laca and Jenufa gets Kostelnicka's blessing. Kostelnicka is come back, but she is obviously changed.
The wedding, Kostelnicka is sick on her mind. Steva is this time really in love and comes with his betrothed. And when Kostelnicka is about to say the words that make Laca and Jenufa husband and wife, there is cries: A baby is found dead under the ice. Jenufa recognize the ribbon as hers, it is her baby. Steva is broken. The townspeople come after Jenufa. Kostelnicka, who is deeply respected in this society, says it is Kostelnicka who is murderess. Impossible to believe, her. Now, only now she understands, says Kostelnicka, "that I loved myself more than I love you". JENUFA forgave her stepmother, as she forgave Steva.
Jenufa gives Laca free, I am not worthy of you. But he want he still, even if the dishonor that now surrounds Jenufa would come to him too if he marries her. Only now Jenufa understand that her love to LACA is bigger that what she felt for Steva.
