Overview
Synopsis
In a small Bohemian village, the fair maiden Mařenka is enamored with her sweetheart, Jeník. The problem? Her parents have brokered a marriage for her with the bumbling, stuttering son of a rich farmer to whom Mařenka’s father owes a debt. Appalled at the thought of having to be parted, Mařenka and Jeník use their wits (and a very convenient secret that Jeník has been harboring) to outsmart the conniving marriage broker, and true love triumphs. Rich with humor, wit, and soaring Czech folk sonorities, The Bartered Bride is Bedřich Smetana’s most widely-known and beloved opera.
Show Information
- Music
- Bedřich Smetana
- Libretto
- Karel Sabina
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1866
- Genres
- Comedy
- Settings
- Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- unspecified (likely 1800s), a small village in bohemia
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- professional, university, regional, College/University, Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Ever since its 1866 premiere at Prague’s Provisional Theatre, The Bartered Bride has been widely considered to be one of the hallmarks of Czech nationalistic music. Composer Bedřich Smetana began work on the piece in 1863. (Unusually enough, he composed the overture before any of the other music had been written; this overture is often performed as a separate concert piece today.) He called upon Karel Sabina to craft the libretto; initially, Sabina wrote it in German, but a Czech
to read the context for Prodaná nevěsta and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
ACT ONE
The scene opens on a lively church fair in a small Bohemian town, where rejoicing villagers are extolling the pleasures of love. Not all are happy, however--Mařenka, a pretty young peasant girl, and her lover Jeník are devastated that her parents are planning to marry her off to someone else--the son of Micha, a rich farmer, whom she hasn’t even met. She declares her deep and passionate love for Jeník only, though she wonders why she doesn’t know much about his past. ([Kdybych
to read the plot for Prodaná nevěsta and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
Songs
Overture
Act One
Scene 1
- Proč bychom se netěšili - Chorus, Jenik, Mařenka
Scene 2
- Tak tedy přece se to státi má? - Mařenka, Jenik
- Kdybych se co takového - Mařenka
- Konečně je celá - Mařenka, Jenik
- Jako matka požehnáním - Jenik, Mařenka
Scene 3
- Jak vám pravím - Kecal, Krušina, Ludmila
- Míchu znám už od dětství - Kecal, Krušina, Ludmila
- Mladík slušný a mravů víc tichých - Kecal, Krušina, Ludmila
-
Scene 4
-
Tu ji máme - Krušina, Ludmila, Kecal, Mařenka
- Jeník neupustí, to vím - Mařenka, Krušina, Ludmila, Kecal
Scene 5
- Polka: Pojd’ sem, holka, toč se, holka - Chorus
Act Two
Scene 1
- To pivečko to věru je nebeský dar - Chorus, Jenik, Kecal Furiant
Scene 2
Scene 3
- Vy jste zajisté ženich Krušinovy Mařenky? - Mařenka, Vašek
- Známť já jednu dívčinu - Mařenka, Vašek
Scene 4
- Jak vam pravím, hezká je - Kecal, Jenik
- Nuže, milý chasníku - Kecal, Jenik
- Odřekneš-li se Mařenky - Kecal, Jenik
Scene 5
- Až uzříš, komus - Jeník
- Jak mozná verit - Jenik
Scene 6
- Pojďte, lidičky - Kecal, Jenik, Krusina, Chorus
Act Three
Scene 1
- To... to mi v hlavě le... leží - Vašek
Scene 2
- Pochod Komediantů (March of the Comedians)
- Ohlašujeme slavnému publikum - Principál
- Skočná (Ballet of the Comedians)
- Je... je... je... je, to bude hezké - Vašek, Esmeralda, Indian, Principál
- Milostné zvířátko - Principál, Esmeralda
Scene 3
- Oh, já ne... nešťastný! - Vašek, Hata, Kecal
- Aj, jakže? Jakže? - Hata, Kecal, Micha
Scene 4
- Ne, tomu nevěřím - Mařenka
Scene 5
- Co... co pořáde chcete? - Vašek
- Rozmysli si, Mařenko, rozmysli - Mařenka, Krusina, Ludmila, Hata, Micha, Vašek, Kecal
Scene 6
Scene 7
- Mařenko má, Mařenko má - Jenik, Mařenka
Scene 8
- Hle, hle! Chasníku, čekáš už na peníze? - Kecal, Mařenka, Jenik
- Utiš se, dívko, utiš se - Jenik
Scene 9
- Jak jsi se, Mařenko, rozmyslila? - Chorus, Mařenka, Jenik, Hata, Micha, Kecal, Ludmila, Krusina
Scene 10
- Ne... ne... nebojte se! - Vašek, Hata, Krusina, Ludmila, Micha
- Dobrá věc se podařila - Chorus
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.