catalogue

The lyrical fairy-tale opera Rusalka, which was premiered in 1901, is Dvořák’s most popular opera. It tells the story of a water nymph who falls in love with a Prince, and out of love for him longs to become mortal even at the cost of pain and dumbness. She is willing to sacrifice her life and refuses to redeem herself by killing the Prince when he forsakes her for another woman. Despite the fairy-tale setting and characters, the story is mostly about human sentiments and the price of true love.

Eva Jenisová was born in Slovakia. Her engagements as a soloist include the National Theatre in Bratislava, the Viennese State Opera, the Giuseppe Verdi Theatre in Trieste, Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, Nancy, London, and Curych. She has also performed to high acclaim at numerous international festivals and given concerts in all major European cities. She has become famous as The Cunning Little Vixen, Káťa Kabanová, Rusalka, Violeta in La Traviata and Mariken in Jeux de Marie by Martinů, to name just a few of her most important parts.

Vladimir Hriško was born in Kiev in the Ukraine. Shortly after his studies he became a soloist in the State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Kiev and performed in other theatres and at international festivals, too. In the early 90s he left for the United States to perform in the New York City Opera. He has also appeared in major operatic parts in Cincinnati and Washington and has regularly returned to the Metropolitan Opera, St Petersburg, Verona and the Bastille. His extensive repertoire includes the parts of Alfred (La Traviata), Rudolf (La Boheme), Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), the Duke (Rigoletto) and many others.