Last Updated on November 26, 2025
Psychological Turmoil with a Powerful Ending
David Alden’s production of Jenůfa, first shown at ENO in 2006 and revived in 2016 takes the work from its original village setting to a remote industrial estate at some point in the twentieth century, with Števa (John Findon) an Elvis like character complete with bleached blond hair, leather-jacket and motorbike and Jenůfa (Jennifer Davis) a kind but naive factory worker. It’s a credible contemporisation that adds rather than detracts from the story and the simple but haunting set design from Charles Edwards and subtle yet stunning lighting make for an emotionally compelling production.
Jenůfa is one of Janáček’s most celebrated works and a cornerstone of Czech opera repertoire. It was Janáček’s first operatic success, at the age of 50. After a successful premiere in Brno, the main city in Moravia, it took more than a decade to get Jenůfa transferred to Prague’s National Theatre, where the composer had already made something of an enemy of the Head of Opera. When it did open there it was an overwhelming success. Even more surprisingly it was also a hit in Vienna, just a few months after Czechoslovakia had declared independence from the Austrian Empire. The libretto, also written by Janáček, is based on the play “Její pastorkyňa” (Her Stepdaughter) by Gabriela Preissová. The opera revolves around the character of a young woman, Jenůfa, and her struggles with love, family, and societal expectations. The story deals with themes of betrayal, redemption, and forgiveness.
This opera revolves around the character of a young woman, Jenůfa, and her struggles with love, family, and societal expectations. The story deals with themes of betrayal, redemption, and forgiveness. The plot centres on Jenůfa’s pregnancy by Števa out of wedlock and the ensuing complications and tragedies that unfold within her family and community. Despite the apparently simple plot, the story has underlying complexities – the background to the Kostelnička’s bitterness and to Laca’s emotive and splenetic behaviour in the first act. It’s a psychological drama which unfolds gradually, drawing the audience in.
Jenůfa demands careful casting with three significant female roles and two male leads. The lyrical and mellifluous vocals of Jennifer Davis as Jenůfa contrasted brilliantly with the Kostelnička, dramatic British soprano Susan Bullock. while American tenor Richard Trey Smagur as Laca, making his UK opera house and role debut, owned the stage both vocally and physically.
Fiona Kimm’s Grandmother Buryja was brilliantly characterised and John Findon’s Števa vocally powerful and a plausible ‘bad boy’. For me, Jennifer Davis stole the show, with a bell-like tone that was truly beautiful and the interaction between the Kostelnička and Jenůfa was astonishingly moving. I was charmed by Richard Trey Smagur as Laca, though perhaps he wasn’t quite bitter and twisted enough at the start. The character of Kostelnička, Jenůfa’s stepmother, plays a significant role in the story, making a fateful decision that affects the lives of all involved and Susan Bullock offered a superb interpretation of the stepmother with her own dark history.
A strong orchestra conducted by Keri-Lynn Wilson played impeccably but lacked the rhythmic structure of the last Jenůfa I saw, conducted by Tomáš Hanus, the Czech conductor who is currently the Musical Director of Welsh National Opera. While some of the more obvious folk melodies shone through others were lost in a semi-romantic interpretation. That, together with a libretto translated into English as is almost always the case at ENO, meant some of the dynamic was missing. On balance, it’s a minor issue as the music was nonetheless beautiful, the production memorable and the lead vocals superb.
This production is worth seeing on many levels but perhaps most of all to catch Jennifer Davis, an alumna of the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme.
Jenůfa runs until 27 March
Jenůfa
English National Opera
London Coliseum
St Martin’s Lane
London WC2N 4ES
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