Jenůfa: Atom Egoyan reinvents Janáček’s opera

Making its Montreal premiere, the realist opera Jenůfa, a landmark work by Czech composer Leoš Janáček, takes shape in a staging by legendary filmmaker Atom Egoyan.

The story unfolds in an isolated Czech village steeped in conservative traditions. It centres on Jenůfa, a young woman disgraced after becoming pregnant by her lover. The village’s guardian of virtue, Kostelnička, then commits the unthinkable… “While it can be a dark story, as it deals with infanticide and the hold that religion has over people, the ending is ultimately hopeful,” says musicologist Pierre Vachon, the Opéra de Montréal’s Director of Social Impact and Education. Prior to each performance, he will present the work to the public at a PreOpera talk in the Piano Nobile at Place des Arts.

Breaking the rules of opera

Composed in the early 20^th century, Jenůfa stands apart from the style of opera that was popular at the time. “Janáček was nicknamed ‘the enemy of unnecessary notes,’” recalls Pierre Vachon. “The composer constantly repeats small musical motifs, reworking them slightly. This foreshadows what would later be done in jazz. It’s not one three-minute melody that gives way to another after the applause. It’s an ongoing flow from the beginning to the end of each of the three acts.”

The music will remind the audience of a film score. “In moments of violence, it becomes dissonant, discordant. It alternates with more tender, intimate moments. That’s what makes it beautiful.”

Sung in Czech, the work presents a challenge for the performers portraying the various characters. This was a deliberate choice by the composer, who aimed to showcase the language of his homeland. “It was a sort of nationalist plea to demonstrate that the Czech language is wonderful, just like the stories of its people.” The language even inspired Janáček in creating his musical motifs.

Between traditional and contemporary

The Opéra de Montréal’s choice of Atom Egoyan to direct Jenůfa was a natural one, since the filmmaker—notably known for his films Exotica and Ararat—had already tackled the work for Pacific Opera Victoria. “He blends tradition and modernity,” explains Pierre Vachon. “Folklore and religion call for tradition, but the work is adapted to a contemporary context.”

The result: costumes that blend styles, along with a minimalist set design. “There is a central piece that symbolizes a mill, a fetus, lots of things. It’ll be quite fascinating to see how Atom Egoyan plays with various traditional elements to transpose the work to our era.”

The filmmaker also deconstructs the conventions of opera in his staging. “The advantage of having someone from another artistic background is that he brings a very fresh and creative interpretation to the work.”

A leading work

The audience has had to be patient, as performances were originally scheduled to take place prior to the pandemic. And even though Jenůfa is still relatively unknown to the general public, it remains one of Janáček's—and the 20^th century’s—landmark works, as Pierre Vachon points out.

The musicologist is convinced that the story will resonate with both opera lovers and newcomers alike. “It’s such a moving story,” he says. “People will be deeply affected by it. For me, this opera is the highlight of the season.”

Jenůfa will be presented on November 22, 27, and 30 in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier.