Overview
Synopsis
The Czech title of this opera, Jeji pastorkyna (her stepdaughter) focuses the entire story on the relationship between two women, brought together by chance, who both have to deal with an impossibly difficult situation.
In the village of Veborany, in Moravia the law condemns women to death by stoning for getting pregnant out of wedlock, Jenůfa is terrified to reveal her secret to anyone. The baby’s father, Števa, has agreed to marry her, but her stepmother, the Kostelnička (Sacristan), will not allow her to marry a known drunkard and womanizer. She asks him to change his behavior and gives him a year to do so. A desperate Jenůfa is forced to tell her stepmother about the baby, and in fear of the consequences and the shame it would bring on the family, the Kostelnička hides her away, whilst praying desperately that she will miscarry.
The baby boy is born healthy, and Jenůfa names him Števa after his father. When the year has passed, the Kostelnička asks Števa if he intends to keep his promise to marry Jenůfa. Števa knew about the pregnancy, and has never once asked about the baby. But Števa has lost interest in Jenůfa, and has promised to marry the Miller’s daughter instead. His half-brother, Laca, who has always harbored a desire for Jenůfa, offers to marry her instead. The Kostelnička tells Laca the truth, that Jenůfa has had Števa’s baby. Fearing that he will leave and not marry Jenůfa, the Kostelnička tells him that the baby has died.
Caught up in her own lies, and desperate not to bring dishonor to the family, the Kostelnička takes the baby while Jenůfa is sleeping. She puts him under the ice in the river, believing that she is sending him to God. When Jenůfa wakes, she tells her that she has been asleep for two days and that the baby died. The truth is only revealed on Jenůfa and Laca’s wedding day, when some workers find the body of Jenůfa’s baby in the ice. The Kostelnička reveals what she has done, and begs for Jenůfa’s forgiveness. Jenůfa understands and forgives her before she is led away to be put on trial.
Show Information
- Music
- Leoš Janáček
- Libretto
- Leoš Janáček
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Jeji Pastorkyna by Gabriela Preissova
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Mature Audiences (M)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1904
- Genres
- Tragedy
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Veborany, Moravia, 19th century, August
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- Professional Opera, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly, Early Teen, Late Teen Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Treble/Boy Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Contralto |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
Act One - The Buryja Mill. A late August evening.
Scene One ‘Už se večer chýli a Števo se nevrací!’ - Jenůfa, Grandmother, Laca, Jano
Scene Two ‘Co to robiš, mládku?’ - Stárek, Laca, Jenůfa, Grandmother, Kotelnicka
Scene Three and Four ‘Co ty, Jenůfo, za mamičkou nevejdeš?’ - Grandmother, Jenůfa, Chorus
Scene Five ‘Vseci sa ženija, vojy bojija’ - Chorus, Števa, Jenůfa, Stárek, Laca
Scene Six ‘Duša moja, Števo, Števuško!’ - Jenůfa, Števa, Chorus, Kotelnička, Grandmother, Laca, Stárek
Scene Seven ‘Števo, Števo, já vím’ - Jenůfa, Števa
Scene Eight ‘Jak rázem všecko to Štefkovo vypínání schíplo’ - Laca, Jenůfa, Barena, Stárek, Grandmother
Act Two - The Kostelnička’s house by the river. An evening in late January.
Scene One ‘Nechám ještě dvéře otevřeny’ - Kostelnička, Jenůfa
Scene Two ‘Ba, ta tvoje okenička’ - Kostelnička
Scene Three ‘Tetko Kostelničko’ - Števa, Kostelnička
Scene Four ‘To jsem já, tetko!’ - Laca, Kostelnička
Scene Five ‘Co chvíla...co chvíla’ - Kostelnička
Scene Six ‘Mamičko, mám těžkou hlavu’ - Jenůfa
Scene Seven ‘Kdo te je? - Jenůfa, Kostelnička
Scene Eight ‘Tot’ zrovnajde!’ - Kostelnička, Laca, Jenůfa
Act Three - The Kostelnička’s house, morning.
Scene One ‘Není ti tesknom Jenůfko? - Pastuchyňa, Jenůfa, Laca, Kostelnička
Scene Two ‘Dej Bůh štesti’ - Major, Major’s wife, Pastuchyňa, Jenůfa, Laca, Kostelnička
Scene Three ‘Vidiš, Laco, ja to tušila’ - Laca, Jenůfa
Scene Four ‘Pán bůh rač dát dobrý den’ - Karolka, Števa, Laca, Jenůfa
Scene Five ‘To bylo ňakého’ - Major, Kostelnička, Laca
Scene Six ‘Pán Bůh rač dát dobrý den’ - Barena, Major’s wife, Major, Kostelnička, Laca, Chorus, Jenůfa, Grandmother
Scene Seven ‘Co díté?’ ‘Rychtáři’ ‘A co je?’ - Kostelnička, Jano, Major, Števa, Chorus
Scene Eight ‘o poběžte’ - Jano, Kostelnička, Grandmother
Scene Nine ‘Stevo, to je ti strašne’ - Karola, Jenůfa, Števa, Laca
Scene Ten ‘Ha, vifite, jeho poviják’ - Jenůfa, Mayor, Mayor’s wife, Tetka, Chorus, Laca, Kostelnička, Karolka, Pastuchyňa
Scene Eleven ‘Vsaňte, pěstounko moja’ - Jenůfa, Laca, Kostelnička, Major
Scene Twelve ‘Odešli… Jdi také! - Jenůfa, Laca
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.