Performer: Jevhen Šokalo

Making his operatic debut at Prague's National Theatre, director Daniel Špinar recasts Janáček’s From the House of the Dead as a schizophrenic prison comedy.

Clever staging in Prague breathes fresh life into subversive works that were kept secret during the composer's lifetime.

Despite some staging problems, a Czech rarity gives the National Theater's new opera season a rousing start, with a vibrant score beautifully realized by conductor John Fiore.