The Bartered Bride (Czech: Prodaná nevěsta, The Sold Bride) is the second opera, a comedy, by Bedřich Smetana. The Czech libretto was written by Karel Sabina, who had also written the libretto for Brandenburgers in Bohemia. The work was originally composed in 1863–1866, and was first performed in 1866 in Prague. The definitive version of the work was finished in 1870. Smetana was the conductor of the first-night performance. The opera's overture and three dances are part of the orchestral repertoire. The Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. ... Portrait of BedÅ™ich Smetana BedÅ™ich Smetana (pronounced ; 2 March 1824 - 12 May 1884) was a Czech composer. ... Antonio Ghislanzoni, nineteenth century Italian librettist. ... Brandenburgers in Bohemia (BraniboÅ™i v ÄŒechách in Czech) is a three-act opera, the first by Bedrich Smetana, to a Czech libretto by Karel Sabina, based on historical incidents. ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Nickname: Motto: Praga Caput Rei publicae Location within the Czech Republic Coordinates: , Country Czech Republic Region Capital City of Prague Founded 9th century Government  - Mayor Pavel Bém Area  - City 496 km²  (191. ... 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Composition history

There are four versions:

• The original version of 1863–66, in two acts
• The first revision of 1869, in two acts
• The second revision of 1869, in three acts
• The "definitive version" of 1869–70, in three acts.

Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Performance history

The first performance of the definitive version was at the Provisional Theatre in Prague on September 25, 1870. Thanks to efforts of Princess de Metternich, The Bartered Bride was produced in Vienna in 1892, to considerable popular acclaim, and it became the only one of Smetana’s operas to maintain a permanent place in the repertory outside of the Czech homeland. Nickname: Motto: Praga Caput Rei publicae Location within the Czech Republic Coordinates: , Country Czech Republic Region Capital City of Prague Founded 9th century Government  - Mayor Pavel Bém Area  - City 496 km²  (191. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Pauline Clementine de Metternich, née countess Sándor de Slawnitze, (February 25, 1836 in Vienna - September 28, 1921 in Vienna) was an eminent Vienesse and Parisien socialite and prime aristocrat of a great spell and elegance, an importent promotress of work of German composer Richard Wagner and Czech composer... “Wien” redirects here. ... 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Roles

The character of Kecal

Note: German versions of the characters are included due to the prevalence of German productions of the opera, a result of the difficulties singers have in adapting to the Czech libretto. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Baritone (French: ; German: ; Italian: ) is most commonly the type of male voice that lies between bass and tenor. ... This article is about the singing voice part. ... A basso (or bass) is a male singer who sings in the lowest vocal range of the human voice. ... In music, an alto is a singer with a vocal range somewhere between a tenor and a soprano. ... A tenor is a singer with a voice range from approximately C3 (one octave below middle C) to A4 (above middle C) in choral music, or to tenor C (C5, one octave above middle C) or higher in operatic music (see voice type). ...

Plot

The Bartered Bride performed at a landscape theatre in Divoká Šárka, Prague. On the right is Ema Destinnová.

Act 1 Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Nickname: Motto: Praga Caput Rei publicae Location within the Czech Republic Coordinates: , Country Czech Republic Region Capital City of Prague Founded 9th century Government  - Mayor Pavel Bém Area  - City 496 km²  (191. ... Emmy Destinn (also â–¶ (help·info) in Czech; February 26, 1878 – January 28, 1930) was a renowned Czech operatic soprano. ...

Mařenka and Jeník want to marry. However, Mařenka’s father, Krušina, has other ideas. He wants Mařenka to marry a boy she has never met, Vašek, the son of Micha, who is a wealthy landowner. The marriage-broker Kecal is hired to broker the marriage between Mařenka and Vašek. Kecal is made aware of the relationship between Mařenka and Jeník, and becomes determined to break them up in order to facilitate the marriage of Mařenka with Vašek.

Act 2

Mařenka and Vašek meet each other by accident, and while Mařenka works out who Vašek is, Vašek, on the other hand, is too much of a simpleton to realize who she is, and Mařenka starts painting a picture of Vašek’s intended bride as a woman who would make his life a total misery if he should marry her. This turns Vašek off the idea of marrying his intended wife, and also makes him interested in this girl who obviously has his best interests at heart. Meanwhile, Kecal starts his campaign to pay off Jeník, so that Jeník will renounce his right to marry Mařenka. Kecal eventually reaches a price with Jeník finds agreeable, and Jeník agrees to barter his bride away for 300 guilders. Jeník also specifies that this is on condition that Mařenka marries Mícha’s son. Since Kecal intends Mařenka to marry Vašek, so that he can get his money, he readily agrees. As soon as the contract is signed, the entire town repudiates Jeník.

Act 3

A travelling circus comes to town, and Vašek becomes entranced with the gypsy, Esmeralda. There is some trouble with one of the acts, and Vašek is convinced to assist the circus. Mařenka is angry with Jeník for what he has done, and she angrily turns her back on him and agrees to marry Vašek. When both sets of parents meet with Mařenka, the appearance of Jeník at the meeting results in the revelation that Jeník is the long-lost son of Mícha from his first marriage, and that Jeník had been hounded out of house and home by his stepmother, Háta (who is also Vašek’s mother). As a result of this revelation, the terms of the contract between Kecal and Jeník, whereby Jeník gave her up (that Mařenka marry the son of Mícha), allows Mařenka to marry either Jeník or Vašek. Mařenka chooses Jeník, and Kecal is left with the embarrassment of having paid Jeník 300 guilders in order for Jeník to give up the right to marry Mařenka, to Jeník, himself. At this time, a frightened child rushes in and exclaims that a bear has escaped from the circus. As everybody cowers, the bear wanders in and pulls off its head, revealing that it was just the immature Vašek disguised in a bear costume for the circus. Embarrassed, Háta drags Vašek off and the parents and the villagers congratulate the happy couple.

Principal arias and numbers

Overture (Orchestra)

Act 1

Chorus: "Let us rejoice" (People)

Aria: "Were I ever to learn that you had ceased to care" (Mařenka)

Trio: "As I'm saying, my dear fellow" (Kecal, Krušina, Ludmila)

Dance: Polka (Orchestra, Chorus)

Act 2 Street musicians in Prague playing a polka Polka is a type of dance, and also a genre of dance music. ...

Chorus: "Beer is no doubt a gift from heaven" (People, Jenik, Kecal)

Dance: Furiant (Orchestra)

Aria: "Ma-ma-ma-ma, so dear" (Vašek)

Scene: Finale "Come people" (Kecal, Jenik, People)

Act 3

Dance: Skočná, "Dance of the Comedians" (Orchestra)

Aria: "Ah, love’s sweet dream" (Mařenka)

Discography

Audio

Prodaná nevěsta

• 1981, Košler, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Dvorsky (Jeník), Beňačkova (Mařenka), Kopp (Vašek), Novak (Kecal)

• 1959, Chalabala, Prague National Theatre, Žídek (Jeník), Tikalová (Mařenka), Kovář (Vašek), Haken (Kecal)

• 1947, Ančerl, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Blachut (Jeník), Červinková (Mařenka), Vonášek (Vašek), Kalas (Kecal)

• 1933, Ostrčil, Prague National Opera Company, Toms (Jeník), Nordenová (Mařenka), Gleich (Vašek), Pollert (Kecal)

Die verkaufte Braut

• Kempe, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra

Video

A German film of the opera was made in 1932 by Max Ophüls, starring Jarmila Novotna. It was the first film version of any opera to use truly cinematic techniques. Arturo Toscanini considered conducting the orchestra on the soundtrack, but withdrew from the project. Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Max Ophüls (May 6, 1902 – March 25, 1957) was a German-born Jewish film director. ... Jarmila Novotná (born September 23, 1907, in Prague; died February 9, 1994, in New York City) was a celebrated Czech soprano and, from 1940 to 1956, a star of the Metropolitan Opera. ... Arturo Toscanini (March 25, 1867 – January 16, 1957) was an Italian musician. ...

Sources

• The Oxford Dictionary of Opera, by John Warrack and Ewan West (1992), 782 pages, ISBN 0-19-869164-5

External links

• Upcoming performances from Operabase.com