Foerster Eva

On this CD:

1. Eva, opera
Composed by Josef Bohuslav Foerster
Performed by Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra with Anna Barova, Eva Depoltova, Libuse Marova, Karel Petr, Jaroslav Soucek
Conducted by Frantisek Vajnar

Tracks:

You Vex Me So, Eva...
Do Drop The Distress...
Where Did Manek Run
That's Good You Are Coming
You Are So Strange!
I Can See My Humble Cottage
La La La La La (Chorus)
The Night Has Alighted
Eva, It's Impossible
Introduction
A Bird Was Flying Over The Green Meadow
She Always Returns So Sad And Pale
Good Evening
Well, Evuska
Evuska, My Dear Little Soul
Your Single Word Has Ruined Everything!
Go To Mesjanych, I'm Resolved

Tracks:

Introduction
Water, I Don't Want It!/Thank You, Children
All The People Around Are So Happy
I Was Frightened By A Bad Dream Tonight
Why Do I Hesitate To Say What Can't Be Concealed
But We Shall Belong To One Another Anyhow...
I Regret The Guilt, Let me Enter In Chastity The Other World

Customer Reviews:

Smetana Meets Janácek and Produces a Real Winner!.......2005-11-18

'Eva' is based on a play by Gabriela Preissová whose title can be roughly translated as 'The Farmer's Woman.' Preissová was the forward-thinking writer who provided the text for Janácek's 'Jenufa,' and the action takes place in the same area of Moravia as that better-known opera. There are plot similarities, however, with Janácek's 'Katya Kabanova,' in that, among other things, the heroine drowns herself in the final act. It's that familiar theme of a woman kicking over the traces to go with her lover, even though she is married, and finding out ultimately that society won't tolerate it. One would expect, then, that the musical setting of 'Eva' would be rather like those of Janácek's, but in fact it is rather more a nineteenth-century setting that is closer to 'The Bartered Bride' than to anything Janácek ever wrote. Josef Bohuslav Foerster (1859-1951) was slightly older than Janácek but his musical style seems much older even though 'Jenufa' premièred a mere four years after 'Eva.'

Be that as it may, though, this opera is a red-blooded, nationalistic, tuneful, eventful and glorious work. It was popular throughout Europe for a period after its première, and for longer in what eventually became Czechoslovakia, but it has been out of favor for a very long time now. We are grateful, then, to the Wexford Festival, a yearly event devoted to reviving worthy but long-unheard operas. I've not been terribly enthusiastic about some of the recordings that have come out of Wexford, for various reasons including poor recording and poor musical values, but this issue is a real winner. Not only is the opera worthy of revival (and even entering the repertory), it is given a beautiful performance here. Most of the participants are Slavs - the orchestra is the Cracow Philharmonic under Jaroslav Kyzlink - including a number of fine singers from what used to be called the Eastern bloc. Iveta Jiriková is a Slavic-sounding Eva -- her voice has that indescribable ping so common to sopranos from Prague and eastward, and it is perfect for this part. She has a lovely lyric soprano that can become more spinto when needed; her acting is a bit inward, even at times diffident, which is fitting for the part. Her ultimately wimpy lover, Mánek, is sung by Kostantyn Andreyev, a Russian, and his tenor is stalwart but also elegant. Samko, Eva's lame husband, is sung by Igor Tarasov who has a generally good voice but some dodgy intonation and steadiness at times; one could even argue that this is apt for the character, but I rather suspect is it simply a characteristic of Tarasov's voice. Mesjanovka (the Kostelnica-like mother-in-law) is sung to a fare-thee-well by mezzo Denisa Hamarová, and she appropriately chews the scenery in her portrayal of the strong-willed matriarch. Zuzka, the maid, is handled nicely (and with reasonable Czech diction) by the American mezzo Elizabeth Batton.

There is a good deal of purely orchestral music in the score and it is played very nicely by the Cracow musicians. Kyzlink's direction is supple and sensitive. The Wexford Festival Chorus is made up primarily of Slavic singers and they are excellent. Sound is pretty good for a live onstage recording. There is some stage noise but it is not intrusive and it actually gives a touch of verisimilitude to the recording.

If you like old-fashioned Czech opera -- say 'The Bartered Bride' or 'Rusalka' -- you'll like this opera. There is an old recording of 'Eva' on Supraphon, but I've not heard it and cannot compare it to this one.

Scott Morrison

Average customer rating:

Josep Bohuslav Foerster: Eva

Manufacturer: Supraphon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000024U7C
Release Date: 1996-01-01

Tracks:

Overture - Prague RC/Milan Maly/Prague RSO/Frantisek Vajnar
Scene 1 - 'You'll be the death of me, Eva' - Leo Marian Vodicka/Eva Depoltova
Scene 2 - 'Eva, how are you enjoying yourself today?' - Jaroslav Soucek/Eva Depoltova
Scene 3 - 'Where did Manek get to - do you know, Eva?' - Chor/Jaroslav Soucek
Scene 4 & 5 - 'It's good you are here, you hussy' - Anna Barova/Jaroslav/Eva Depoltova
'You ar so strange! Still I maintain' - Jaroslav Soucek/Eva Depoltova
'I can see my plain old cottage' - Jaroslav Soucek/Eva Depoltova
'Who wouldn't be dazed' - Jaroslav Soucek
Scene 6 - 'Night has already fallen' - Chor/Eva Depoltova
'Eva dear, help me' - Leo Marian Vodicka/Eva Depoltova
Intro - Prague RC/Milan Maly/Prague RSO/Frantisek Vajnar
Scene 1 - 'A little bird was flying' - Libuse Marova/Jaroslav Soucek
Scene 2 - 'She always comes home so sad & pale' - Jaroslav Soucek/Libuse Marova/Eva Depoltova
'God grant you a good evening' - Anna Barova/Jaroslav Soucek/Eva Depoltova
'She has a sharp tongue' - Libuse Marova/Eva Depoltova/Jaroslav Soucek
'I am sorry for him, he loves you so much...' - Libuse Marova/Eva Depoltova

Tracks:

Scene 4 - 'Eva, are you waiting?' - Leo Marian Vodicka/Eva Depoltova
Scene 5 - 'Open up this moment! Eva, who's there?' - Jaroslav Soucek/Eva Depoltova/Libuse Marova
'Go to the Mesjany's. My mind is made up.' - Eva Depoltova/Libuse Marova/Jaroslav Soucek
Intro - Prague RC/Milan Maly/Prague RSO/Frantisek Vajnar
Scene 1 - Tempo di Valse lente - Prague RC/Milan Maly/Prague RSO/Frantisek Vajnar
Tempo di Polka - 'Water, water -I don't want, I don't want it' - Chor/Leo Marian Vodicka/Libuse Marova/Eva Depoltova
'La la la - we'll drink that - we'll drink that' - Karel Petr/Libuse Marova/Eva Depoltova
Scene 2 - 'Come, my love' - Leo Marian Vodicka/Eva Depoltova
'Last night I had a disturbing dream' Scene 3 - 'Aunt Mesjanovka...' - Eva Depoltova/Leo Marian Vodicka
'God help you, finding you like this!' - Anna Borova/Leo Marian Vodicka/Eva Depoltova
Scene 4 - 'What is it? Your have gone pale.' - Eva Depoltova/Leo Marian Vodicka
'I am alone, abandoned!' - Eva Depoltova/Leo Marian Vodicka