Mr Brouček's excursions

Opera dates
Title:	Mr Brouček's excursions
Original title:	Výlety páně Broučkovy
Shape:	Opera in two parts
Original language:	Czech
Music:	Leoš Janáček
Libretto :	Viktor Dyk , František Procházka Sarafínský u. a.
Literary source:	Svatopluk Čech : Nový epochální výlet pana Broučka and Nový epochální výlet pana Broučka, tentokrát do patnáctého století
Premiere:	April 23, 1920
Place of premiere:	National Theater Prague
Playing time:	approx. 2 ¼ hours
Place and time of the action:	In front of and in the Vikárka pub next to St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle ; Dream scenes on the moon and in Hussite Prague from 1420
people
	Brouček, homeowner ( tenor ); Mazal, painter, also Blankytný and Petřík (tenor); Sexton at St. Vitus Cathedral, also Lunobor and Domšík von der Glocke ( bass baritone ); Malinka, daughter of the sexton, also Etherea and Kunka ( soprano ); Würfl, owner of the Vikárka inn, also Čaroskvoucí and councilor ( bass ); His assistant waiter, also child prodigy and student of Charles University (soprano); Housekeeper Broučeks, also Kedruta ( old ); Artist, Brouček's drinking brother, also Oblační and Vacek the Bearded (bar); Artist, drinking brother, also Dohuslav and Vojta von der Pfauen (tenor); Artist, drinking brother, also Harfoboj and Miroslav the goldsmith (tenor); Artist, drinking brother, also Větroboj and voice of the theology professor (tenor); Apparition of the poet Svatopluk Čech ( baritone ); Two Taborites (2 baritones); Dancers in the wake of Etherea, Prague people from 1420 ( choir , ballet);

The Excursions of Mr. Brouček (Czech Original Title: Výlety páně Broučkovy ) is a burlesque opera in two parts of Janáček according to a Czech Libretto of the main authors Viktor Dyk and Frantisek Prochazka Sarafínský involving Frantisek Gellner , Josef Holy , Zykmund Janke and Karel MaÅ¡ek . The premiere took place on April 23, 1920 in the Prague National Theater.

orchestra

The orchestral line-up for the opera includes the following instruments:

Woodwinds : flute piccolo , four flutes , two oboes , english horn , clarinet , bass clarinet , two bassoons , contrabassoon
Brass : four horns , three trumpets , three trombones , tuba
Timpani , drums : bass drum , cymbals , tam-tam , triangle , glockenspiel , xylophone
harp
Celesta
Strings
Incidental music behind the scene: bagpipes (or two oboes and bassoon)

Work history

Mr Brouček, illustration by Viktor Oliva for the novel (1889)

The opera was composed between 1908 and 1917 and premiered on April 23, 1920 at the National Theater in Prague . The performance was received coolly. It is the only opera by Janáček that was not premiered in Brno .

The libretto is based on two satirical novels with the same protagonists: The Excursions of Mr. Brouček to the Moon ( Nový epochální výlet pana Broučka, 1887) and The Excursions of Mr. Brouček the fifteenth century ( Nový epochální výlet pana Broučka, tentokrát do patnáctého století, 1888 ) by the writer Svatopluk Čech . The novelist himself is a character in the opera who appears as a vision at the beginning of the second act.

The satirical intent is different in each of the two parts. In the first part, the satire refers to a Czech community of artists who frequented the “Vikarka” tavern at the foot of the Prague Hradschin .

The opera is rarely played these days. In the period from 2005 to 2010 there were only six productions.

Web links

Commons : Výlety páně Broučkovy - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

The Excursions of Mr Brouček : Sheet Music and Audio Files in the International Music Score Library Project

Synopsis of The Excursions of Mr. Brouček on Opera-Guide landing page due to URL change currently unavailable

Discography of The Excursions of Mr. Broucek at Operadis

Individual evidence

↑ Vladimír Karbusicky : Výlety páně Broučkovy. In: Piper's Encyclopedia of Musical Theater . Volume 3: Works. Henze - Massine. Piper, Munich / Zurich 1989, ISBN 3-492-02413-0 , pp. 176-179.

[piper-1] Vladimír Karbusicky : Výlety páně Broučkovy. In: Piper's Encyclopedia of Musical Theater . Volume 3: Works. Henze - Massine. Piper, Munich / Zurich 1989, ISBN 3-492-02413-0 , pp. 176-179.

Opera dates
Title:	Mr Brouček's excursions
Original title:	Výlety páně Broučkovy
Shape:	Opera in two parts
Original language:	Czech
Music:	Leoš Janáček
Libretto :	Viktor Dyk , František Procházka Sarafínský u. a.
Literary source:	Svatopluk Čech : Nový epochální výlet pana Broučka and Nový epochální výlet pana Broučka, tentokrát do patnáctého století
Premiere:	April 23, 1920
Place of premiere:	National Theater Prague
Playing time:	approx. 2 ¼ hours
Place and time of the action:	In front of and in the Vikárka pub next to St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle ; Dream scenes on the moon and in Hussite Prague from 1420
people
Brouček, homeowner ( tenor ) Mazal, painter, also Blankytný and Petřík (tenor) Sexton at St. Vitus Cathedral, also Lunobor and Domšík von der Glocke ( bass baritone ) Malinka, daughter of the sexton, also Etherea and Kunka ( soprano ) Würfl, owner of the Vikárka inn, also Čaroskvoucí and councilor ( bass ) His assistant waiter, also child prodigy and student of Charles University (soprano) Housekeeper Broučeks, also Kedruta ( old ) Artist, Brouček's drinking brother, also Oblační and Vacek the Bearded (bar) Artist, drinking brother, also Dohuslav and Vojta von der Pfauen (tenor) Artist, drinking brother, also Harfoboj and Miroslav the goldsmith (tenor) Artist, drinking brother, also Větroboj and voice of the theology professor (tenor) Apparition of the poet Svatopluk Čech ( baritone ) Two Taborites (2 baritones) Dancers in the wake of Etherea, Prague people from 1420 ( choir , ballet)