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The Two Widows
Sponsored by First ScotRail
Supported by The Scottish Government's Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund
About the Performance
The Two Widows is brimming with musical wit in some of the most charming, life-affirming music Smetana ever wrote. He reveals a deep understanding of human foibles in this gentle and fun tale of Czech country life in the late 19th century.
Two young widows, living a quiet country life, have sharply contrasting attitudes to life: Karolina lives for the future, enjoys life and love and runs her estate with great independence; Anežka is in denial of her true feelings, wishes to remain faithful to her husband and buries herself in the past. When a handsome stranger appears, Karolina guesses his reasons and instigates a mischievous game of love and jealousy.
The opera is based on a French farce by Jean Pierre Félicien Mallefille which Smetana transposed to the world of the Czech landed gentry. He set out to write an opera in ‘the distinguished salon style' to show that the Czech repertoire could contain more than folksy or high-toned patriotic pieces. This is a delicate comedy, gentle, warm-hearted and melodic.
The directorial partnership between Tobias Hoheisel and Imogen Kogge sets out to transform this drawing room comedy into something that digs deeper without losing the inherent charm of the piece. The salon is a frame for witty exchanges set to Smetana's delicate folk inspired music - a surreal place where certainties become uncertain and reality is constantly questioned.
A co-production between the Edinburgh International Festival and Scottish Opera supported by Lord and Lady Laidlaw and the Scottish Opera Syndicate.
Reviews
Smetana's ‘The Two Widows' review by EIF Critic, Fraser Riddell
The charm of this production of Smetana's ‘The Two Widows' lies in the fact that it clearly doesn't take itself too seriously. While the garishly coloured set and the chorus' strikingly verismo impression of dancing drunken peasants had a hint of am-dram village panto about them, the central operatic performances were near faultless.
Kate Valentine was clearly having the time of her life as Karolina and Jane Irwin's quasi-Wagnerian Act II scena evoked a palpable depth of pathos. Their vocal and dramatic double-act was one of undoubtable on-stage chemistry. Francesco Corti's conducting brought warmth and vivacity to the score; the music easily surpassing the shallow depths of an English libretto reminscent of Gilbert & Sullivan's lesser efforts.
See it for Valentine- another home-grown rising star. And for an irreverent, irrelevant sight-gag that will have you laughing in spite of yourself.
It won't change your life, but for a fix of feel-good farce it can't be beat.
Sponsored by
Supported through the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund
Photo: Christopher Bowen
Performance Details
Scottish Opera
Written by Bedřich Smetana
Staged performance sung in English with English supertitles.
Karolina Záleská Kate Valentine
Anežka Miletinská Jane Irwin
Mumlal Nicholas Folwell
Ladislav Podhajsky David Pomeroy
Toník, a peasant Ben Johnson
Lidka, a maid Rebecca Ryan
Francesco Corti Conductor
Tobias Hoheisel and Imogen Kogge Directors
Tobias Hoheisel Designer
Peter Mumford Lighting design
Kally Lloyd-Jones Choreographer
Micaela von Marcard Dramaturg
English translation by David Pountney and Leonard Hancock
Booking Information
Performance Dates:
- Sat 09 Aug - 7:15 pm
- Mon 11 Aug - 7:15 pm
- Tue 12 Aug - 7:15 pm
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- From £10Tickets:
- 2 hours 30 minutesDuration:
- Edinburgh Festival TheatreVenue:
