On June 11 the Theater Mönchengladbach (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany) saw a premiere of Janáček’s opera Katja Kabanowa which was last played here 26 years ago. The story of one of the composers’s strongest female characters was put on stage by a team composed almost exclusively of women – from the scenographer and wardrobe supervisor, past the dramaturge to the choirmistress, led by the directress Helen Malkowsky. The theatre’s musical director Mihkel Kütson was conducting.
The premiere reviews highly acclaimed especially the masterful performance of a Polish soprano Izabela Matula in the title role of Katja. Apart from her, the cast included Satik Tumyan as Kabanicha, Michael Siemon (Boris), Markus Heinrich (Váňa), Eva-Maria Günschmann (Varvara), Hayk Dèinyan (Dikój) or Kairschan Scholdybajew (Tichon). Sung in Czech, the production is going to be a part of the next season’s repertory at the partner stage of Theater Krefeld.
11 June 2016, Theater Mönchengladbach, Mönchengladbach, Germany
further performances: Mönchengladbach – June 17, 19 and 22, July 7 and 10, Krefeld – October 15 and 23, November 13 and 18, December 20 and 28
Leoš Janáček: Katha Kabanowa (1921)
production director: Helen Malkowsky, musical director: Mihkel Kütson