Janáček’s Jenůfa, the composer’s breakthrough opera, is an emotionally overwhelming realist drama. Leading American soprano Corinne Winters talks about taking on the central role, which she sings in Brno this November.
This autumn, you return to Brno and the character of Jenůfa, one of the most devastating roles in all opera. Can you talk about what’s in your mind when preparing for this role?
Jenůfa goes through a heartbreaking journey, but I have to be careful not to pre-empt her pain. For example, at the beginning of the second act, when she holds her newborn baby, she’s absolutely in love. Any pain she’s experienced up to that point pales in comparison to the love she feels for her child, and in that moment, she has no idea of the tragedy that’s yet to come.
As with any role, but especially this one, it’s essential to experience these events in real time so that my reactions are instinctual, honest, and immediate. Otherwise, my characters become stock interpretations of suffering women. What interests me are multifaceted heroines, usually with a central conflict involving different parts of their personality or psyche. This is definitely the case with Jenůfa.
For those who haven’t experienced the opera before, what makes Janáček’s Jenůfa special?
This piece is about the complexity of the human experience; seemingly flawed people are also good, and seemingly good people are also flawed. Because of its universally touching quality, some people have even said that Jenůfa would be a perfect first opera for a new audience member, and I totally agree with them!
Like many of Janáček’s works, the plot unfolds like a riveting drama. The music is both highly theatrical and hauntingly beautiful, and the characters feel like real people. Since opera houses use subtitles or surtitles, the Czech language doesn’t need to be a barrier. The story is for everyone, and in my experience, strikes a unique chord in people’s hearts.
What impression did the opera make on you when you first heard it?
When I saw Jenůfa for the first time, I didn’t know what to expect, which made it all the more overwhelming. I was completely blown away. It’s a one-of-a-kind work, music theatre of the highest calibre, and I knew immediately that I had to perform the title role someday.
My dream came true about six years after that first experience, and I feel lucky to have made her part of my core repertoire for seasons to come. I saw Jenůfa, as well as most of Janáček’s operas, as Slavic verismo – genre I also sing regularly – so I was delighted to learn that he was greatly influenced by Puccini.
Can you talk about any notable difficulties or challenges in singing Jenůfa?
Jenůfa is a joy to sing. It’s a fundamentally lyrical role with a few dramatic passages in high-octane emotional moments. The hardest part of performing Janáček roles, especially at first, is delivering the fast text in the speech-like passages. Now that I speak Czech and have a more immediate connection to the language, this type of delivery feels much easier and more natural to me.
From an emotional perspective, it’s hard not to be eaten up by the devastating aspects of the piece; however, I try to remember that there are plenty of redemptive elements too. There’s always something new to explore and uncover in the role, which can be daunting, but this very quality is also what makes it so rewarding.
Is there a recording or a memory of a performance that is particularly special to you?
I adore the live recording from the Met with Gabriela Beňačková – it’s absolutely thrilling. I love how rich her voice is, but she never sacrifices the clarity and naturalness of the text. Karita Mattila (my Kostelnička from London last year) and Elisabeth Söderström also have beautiful interpretations of the role on recording.
Do you have a favourite passage in the opera?
The second act of Jenůfa is a perfect act of opera from start to finish. Even in the first orchestral figures, we sense the tension building. On the surface, the atmosphere seems serene, but we can palpably feel the enormity of what will be uncovered, even if we don’t know exactly what that is yet. I couldn’t possibly pick just one moment… everything in the second act is perfection.
The final scene of the opera [1:57:05 above] is utterly heartbreaking, but also transcendent. Every time I experience that scene, as a performer and a listener, I feel more compassion for the human experience. To me, that is the mark of truly great art – something which makes us feel more seen and accepted, flaws and all.
Can you talk a little about working with music director Jakub Hrůša, and other members of the cast, which includes Nicky Spence (Laca) and Eliška Weissová (Kostelnička)?
The only thing better than performing Jenůfa is performing Jenůfa with a cast of friends! Jakub Hrůša has become one of my closest collaborators, and I so appreciate his approach to music-making. He’s an immensely gifted and serious artist, but never a dictator. He always leaves room for unplanned, magical moments in performance; I think this is why, in every opera or concert I’ve done with him, we’ve always managed to find them.
Nicky Spence and Tom Atkins played Laca and Števa in our production at the Royal Opera House, and both are as stunning personally as they are artistically. Eliška Weissová sang the Foreign Princess in Rusalka with me in Vienna and we became friends right away. She’s a powerhouse dramatic soprano and already well known for her interpretation of Kostelnička. I already know that, with this group, it will be a very special experience.
Why should one come to hear a performance of Janáček’s Jenůfa?
Jenůfa will change you. It will teach you things about yourself and the people you love. It will make you see the world differently. It will make you love music more deeply. It will make you love more deeply, period. Too many people are walking around with closed hearts.
I know that Brno is more familiar with Jenůfa than any other opera audience in the world, but I hope that there are still people who will experience it for the first time, and that they allow themselves to be transformed.
Corinne Winters sings Janáček’s Jenůfa on 5th & 7th November at Janáček Brno Festival.
She also sings Kátya Kabanová on 13th November, and gives a chamber recital on 18th October.
Janáček Brno Festival runs from 13th October to 17th November.
See all upcoming events at Janáček Theatre, Brno.
See upcoming performances by Corinne Winters.
This article was sponsored by National Theatre Brno.
This article was amended after erroneously stating Jenůfa was the composer’s first opera. Janáček composed two earlier operas, Šárka and The Beginning of a Novel.
