Overview
Synopsis
The fable of The Cunning Little Vixen, also known as The Adventures of Vixen Sharp-Ears, is a story of the cyclical nature of life. The Vixen cub that the Forester takes home with him eventually grows up and has cubs of her own. The Frog that the cub chases past the Forester in the first scene has gone through the same cycle, and his grandchild passes the Forester in the final scene. Regardless of what the humans are doing in the story, the forest continues to go through its cycle of life, renewing and replenishing. On a parallel level, the humans in the story are following the same cycle. They are falling in love and getting married, and trying to ascribe a deeper meaning to these events beyond the continuous cycle of life.
With the option of performers taking on several small roles across the opera, or doubling a supporting role with one of the animals, this opera is particularly suitable for flexible casting situations, such as in schools or colleges.
Show Information
- Music
- Leoš Janáček
- Libretto
- Leoš Janáček
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Liška Bystrouška, by Rudolf Těsnohlídek
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1924
- Genres
- Drama, Fairy Tale/Fantasy
- Settings
- Fantasy/Imaginary, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- a forest, fairy tale time
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, High School, Large Cast, Professional Opera, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Young Adult, Mature Adult, Adult, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen Characters
Context
Inspired by the serialised novel by Liška Bystrouška, by Rudolf Těsnohlídek, which presented a series of animal adventures in a comic-strip format, composer Leoš Janáček created his philosophical opera The Cunning Little Vixen. He spent time studying the animals that appear in his opera, and worked closely with Těsnohlídek to create the libretto. To illustrate the life of the creatures and people of the forest, Janacek employs Moravian folk music, such as features in many of his other operas.
to read the context for The Cunning Little Vixen and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
A Forester is working in the woods, and takes a moment to rest by a tree (‘Dostaneme bourku’). As he sits there, a frog jumps past him being chased by a young vixen cub (‘Kmotrenka zakoncertovala si také?’). The Forester takes a liking to the cub immediately, drawn by its spirited play and beautiful fur, and decides to take the cub home with him. The cub struggles and tries to get away, calling for its mother (‘Mami!’), but the forester is too strong and takes it home with him.
to read the plot for The Cunning Little Vixen and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Treble/Boy Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Treble/Boy Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass, Bass-Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Silent |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
Author's Note: This piece is through-composed without strict scene delineations. The breakdown below is given to indicate the movement of character and natural breaks in the score, and it may differ from other breakdowns.
Act One
- Prelude
- ‘Dostaneme bourku’ - Forester, Cricket, Grasshopper
- ‘Kmotrenka zakoncertovala si také?’ - Cricket, Grasshopper, Mosquito, Frog
- ‘Mami!’ - Vixen Cub, Forester
- Pantomime - Blue Dragonfly
- Interlude / Promena
- ‘To cucis Lapáku!?’ - Forester, Forester’s Wife, Vixen, Lapak
- ‘Já taky nemám zkusenošti’ - Vixen
- ‘Ze nevis, co mamé?’ - Pepik, Frantik, Vixen, Forester’s wife, Forester
- Pantomime - Vixen
- ‘Mělas dělat podlivá mně!’ - Lapak, Rooster, Crested Hen, Hens, Vixen
- ‘Hled'te sestry jakého máte vudce!’ - Vixen, Crested Hen, Hens, Forester’s Wife, Forester
Act Two
- ‘Ach!’ - Vixen, Badger, Vermin
- ‘Ano, ve Strani bude daleko lépe’ - Parson, Forester, Schoolmaster, Pasek
- ‘Domu? Pro ten snupec tvého spani’ - Forester, Pasek
- ‘Bud'to mám teziste pohyblivé’ - Schoolmaster
- ‘Pomni, abys byl dobrym muzém!’ - Parson, Schoolmaster, Forester
- 'Bozinku, ten je hezké!' - Vixen, Fox
- ‘Kradla jsem!’ - Vixen
- ‘Zlatohrbitek, lisák a krouzkovymi pesiky’ - Fox, Vixen
- ‘Kdbyste vedeli, co já videla’ - Owl, Jay, Fox, Vixen
- ‘No, že už dete’ - Woodpecker, Fox, Chorus of Woodland Voices
Act Three
- ‘Dez sem vandroval, mozeka hrála’ - Harašta, Forester
- ‘Bezi liska Táboru’ - Chorus of young foxes, Vixen, Fox
- ‘Kolik jsme uz meli deti?’ - Fox, Vixen, Harašta
- Interlude / Promena
- ‘A kde otec Pásak?’ - Forester, Mrs Paskova
- ‘To uz ne!’ - Schoolmaster, Mrs Paskova, Forester
- ‘Nerikal jsem to?’ - Forester
- ‘Hoj! Ale neni tu Bystrousky!’ - Forester
- ‘Totok nejsem já’ - Frog, Forester
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
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Videos
Quizzes
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.