Dvořák: Rusalka, Op. 114

However uneven the qualities of the operatic legacy of Antonin Dvorak (1841 – 1904) might appear compared with the rest of his output, at least three of his operas – namely, The Jacobin; Kate and the Devil; and Rusalka – can be safely regarded as works of outstanding vitality, undiminishingly appealing and therefore frequently staged and spontaneously loved by audiences. Rusalka in particular, written in 1900, a lyrical fairy-tale opera set to the finest text ever used by Dvorak (from Jaroslav Kvapil), telling a story filled with compassion, with an unfortunate central female character and an errant principal male hero (Prince), has quite justly won the shared place at the top, with Smetana´s The Bartered Bride, as the best-loved and most frequently produced Czech operas, in their home country and internationally alike

This digital recording, presenting Vaclav Neumann´s production with Gabriela Benackova in the title role, guarantees the highest artistic value. Coupled with Dvorak´s inimitably sparklin invention, this complete opera set brings living proof of one of the pre-eminent fruits of genius in the whole history of Czech music.