The Stage

Jenufa

Published Friday 13 March 2009 at 15:30 by George Hall

When it was new in 2006, David Alden’s production, which moves Janacek’s emotionally devastating 19th century village drama forward to the drab Communist era, won two Olivier awards, one for the staging itself, the other for Amanda Roocroft’s intensely truthful portrayal of the heroine.

This time around, it’s even better. The cast has been strengthened and the impact of the whole is overwhelming.

The story of a young village girl whose illegitimate baby is murdered by her own stepmother to save them both from shame, and of the two half-brothers, one of whom makes her pregnant while the other marries her, is among the most emotional tales opera has to offer, and its final scene, as Jenufa and Laca face the future together as a couple, is profoundly inspiring.

Certainly as performed here. Roocroft has developed into one of the great actresses on the operatic stage, and her lyric soprano is deployed with thrilling imagination. As the feckless Steva, Tom Randle’s energy and dramatic command flesh out a complete portrayal founded on his keen-edged tenor. As his unloved half-brother Laca, Robert Brubaker’s blend of hatred and love pours out in his high-charged vocalism. The American mezzo Michaela Martens sings Kostelnicka, the flawed stepmother whose terrible deed becomes credible in another sure and certain realisation.

The small roles are expertly delivered and ENO’s chorus and orchestra are outstanding, with the score perfectly balanced by Norwegian conductor Eivind Gullberg Jensen. It’s a truly great evening.