Our First Dalibor Smetana

[lennygoran]

Our First Dalibor Smetana

What a pleasure to see this opera in the comfort of our own home as the snow is coming down-lovely music, relatively traditional set and costumes, good singing, English captions and free! Regards, Len

The uploader provided this info

Dalibor is a Czechoslovakian opera written by Bedrich Smetana in 1868. The singing is quite good, although I occasionally found the Milada a little hard to hear on the lower notes. The music is beautiful. I put English captions to it for the benefit and education of English-speakers. The captions are copyrighted by me. You can turn the English captions on and off by pressing the "cc" button.

Prague, 2021

Conductor: Jaroslav Kyzlink

Milada: Dana Burešová
Jitka: Alžbeta Polácková
Dalibor: Michal Lehotský
King Vladislov: Adam Plachetka
Benes: Jirí Sulženko
Vítek: Jaroslav Brezina
Budivoj: Jirí Brückler

Found this information

DALIBOR to Play at National Theatre This Fall
By: Alan Henry Jul. 16, 2019



DALIBOR to Play at National Theatre This FallThe opera, Dalibor will play at the National Theatre starting Sept. 19.

Bed?ich Smetana's third opera, Dalibor, is closely connected with the history of the National Theatre, similarly to his later Libuše. The former received its premiere on 16 May 1868 at the New Town Theatre in Prague, within the celebrations of the laying of the foundation stone of the National Theatre. Libuše was first performed during the National Theatre's gala opening in 1881, and again in 1883.

At the time of composing Dalibor, Smetana was a major Czech opera figure - since September 1866, he had served as the first Kapellmeister of the Provisional Theatre, and he had made a significant impact on the formation of the ensemble that would become the National Theatre opera company. The German libretto for Dalibor was furnished by Josef Wenzig, the head of the Artistic Society, who had contributed to the emancipation of Czech as a language of tuition, yet his literary works remained in German, which was also the case of the texts for the operas Dalibor and Libuše. Upon Smetana's insistence, Wenzig agreed to deliver the libretto for Dalibor in Czech, yet he did not venture to translate his own German original and hence recommended his student Ervín Špindler to do so.


The story of the knight Dalibor reflects the historical events during the rule of Vladislav II, King of Bohemia (1456-1516), yet the plot is rather centered around a romantic legend of a knight who in jail learns how to play the violin. The myth, treated by a number of chroniclers and authors, served as the basis for Wenzig's libretto. Initially, Dalibor was not received overly positively and met with a lukewarm response on the part of the audience. Nevertheless, following its acclaimed 1886 revival at the National Theatre, it would be regularly staged and given almost 1,100 performances. The opera also gained success abroad, including in Vienna, Moscow, Berlin and Edinburgh. One of the first productions beyond Bohemia was the 1897 staging in Vienna, conducted by Gustav Mahler, an ardent champion of Smetana's music.

Dalibor is a romantic tragedy, with passions being the main driving force, first Dalibor's wild desire to avenge the death of his close friend and Milada's endeavour to avenge the death of her brother. Their spite is replaced by mad love for each other, which, however, is thwarted by the forces Dalibor had initially set in motion against himself.

The opera is staged in Czech original version, Czech and English surtitles are used in the performance.

The opera's creative team includes Jaroslav Kyzlink (Musical Preparation), Jiri Nekvasil (Stage Director), Daniel Dvorak (Set Design), Zuzana Bambusek Krejzkova (Costumes), Beno Blachut (Dramaturgy) and Alena Peskova (Motion Cooperation).

Dalibor's cast features Adam Plachetka and Svatopluk Sem as "Vladislav," Peter Berger and Michal Lehotsky as "Dalibor," Jiri Bruckler and Jakub Kettner as "Budivoj," Jiri Sulzenko and Jan Stava as "Benes," Jaroslav Brezina and Martin Srejma as "Vitek," Dana Buresova and Katerina Hebelkova as "Milada" and Veronika Holbova and Alzbeta Polackova as "Jitka."

[THEHORN]

Dalibor is a wonderful opera which deserves to be better known . But it has not been performed often outside the Czech republic, formerly Czechoslovakia . Eve Queler did a concert performance with the Opera orchestra of New York some years ago , with. the late Nicolai Gedda in the title role , and there is a CD of a production at the Vienna State opera conducted by Josef Krips , in German . This can be heard on Youtube .
I first got to know Dalibor many years ago on a Supraphon LP conducted by Vaclav Smetacek . I hope the Met will do a production sometime before too long, although this. may be a pipe dream . I've also heard a later digital Supraphon recording on CD . For those of you here who aren't familiar with Dalibor, I recommend it highly .

[lennygoran]

I hope the Met will do a production sometime before too long, although this. may be a pipe dream .

Bob I think it is a pipe dream-so glad Youtube had the full opera-they have others by Smetana as well! I'm really indebted to the person who downloaded it and provide English captions! Regards, Len

[maestrob]

Len, how about providing us with a youtube link? Would love to watch this...

[lennygoran]

Len, how about providing us with a youtube link? Would love to watch this...

Brian this should do it-enjoy! Regards, Len

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vGUa3kTmH4

[maestrob]

Len, how about providing us with a youtube link? Would love to watch this...

Brian this should do it-enjoy! Regards, Len

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vGUa3kTmH4

Thanks

[Lance]

Love Smetana's music, probably because of my own DNA ... and I know not this opera, only exposed to some recital excerpts and also in a compilation of Smetana's music (from Membran). I have ordered a used copy of the opera. Thank you for mentioning this work; from all I read, the opera needs to be better known, and recorded in first class sound.

[THEHORN]

2024 is. the Smetana bicentennial. as well as. for Anton Bruckner . I hope there will be as much celebration of Smetana as with Bruckner . I love the music of both composers .

[Lance]

My copy of DALIBOR arrived yesterday. Got the one on Dynamic. Anxious to hear it. Will advise. Thanks for inspiring me!

[Lance]

Having heard DALIBOR, I have only three words: I LOVE IT! Typical Smetana, so many wonderful melodies, arias, orchestral music. For me, the music comes first. Thank you for the invitation to investigate it!

[lennygoran]

Having heard DALIBOR, I have only three words: I LOVE IT! Typical Smetana, so many wonderful melodies, arias, orchestral music. For me, the music comes first. Thank you for the invitation to investigate it!

Lance I hope it continues to stay on/line-I sure want to see it again! Regards, Len