Honzovo Království (2x CD) - CD

Honzovo království (Johnny's Kingdom) - an opera fairytale in three acts, Op. 25 (1933), with a libretto by Jiří Mařánek based on a short story by Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy. Křížová cesta (The Way of the Cross) - variations for a large orchestra, Op. 24 (1928)

Přemysl Kočí, Jaroslava Vymazalová, Jaroslav Veverka, Josef Celerin, Antonín Votava, Zdeněk Otava, Milada Jirásková, Ludmila Hanzalíková et al. Czechoslovak Radio Choir / Jiří Pinkas, Czechoslovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Václav Jiráček (Recorded at Czechoslovak Radio in 1954)

Křížová cesta (The Way of the Cross): Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Václav Neumann (1957)

Released on CD for the first time, this is the complete recording of Otakar Ostrčil's (1879–1935) opera Honzovo království (Johnny's Kingdom), an extraordinary opera fairytale with a deliberate anti-war message. For his final opera, Ostrčil chose L. N. Tolstoy's short story about a kingdom ruled by the good-hearted Johnny, who knows no resentment. In his kingdom, soldiers do not fight but dance and love, all the sick are healed, and the people are happy. Johnny brings everyone the miraculous star of compassion and love, which heals even the terminally ill princess and triumphs over the devil himself. The opera's premiere in Brno (1934) and its subsequent performance in Prague caused a conflict between the composer and a part of Czech society, but it also became something of a sensation; the work, in which Johnny competes with a devil striving for world domination, took to the stage shortly after Hitler's rise to power. After the war, the opera appeared four more times in the repertoire of the National Theatre in Prague and Brno, with the last performance in 1959. This is the only studio recording

of the opera, made in 1954 by Czechoslovak Radio with I. Žídek, J. Vymazalová and P. Kočí in the leading roles. An equally unique recording on this CD is Křížová cesta (The Way of the Cross), Op. 24 from 1957 with the Czech Philharmonic under the baton of Václav Neumann.

A unique recording of an unjustly forgotten opera, available on CD for the first time

Contents: Honzovo království (Johnny's Kingdom), Op. 25 act: The forty-sixth degree act: The lords will come act: I welcome you here, good lads act: Today was yours act: A new morning act: War, a merry life act: What have you done? act: Help a beggar act: Is he sleeping? act: They proclaimed in the land act: Well then, I will stay act: A rich nobleman act: Hail, Johnny! - Betrayed Honzovo království (Johnny's Kingdom), Op. 25 act: Either he act: They are rampaging on our estates act: One step forward act: In the darkness act: Glory, long live the soldiers act: Are you aiming at me? act: Eternally human act: Have you suddenly turned to stone? Křížová cesta (The Way of the Cross). Variations for a large orchestra, Op. 24 Grave (The Son of Man is condemned to death) Poco andante, quasi marcia funebre (He accepts the cross) - att. (He falls for the first time under the weight of the cross) Molto adagio - Poco piu mosso (He meets his mother) Poco con moto (Simon helps to carry the cross) Adagio (Veronica offers her veil) Allegro non troppo (He falls for the second time under the weight of the cross) Moderato assai (Weep not for me) Allegro (He falls for the third time under the weight of the cross) Molto lento (Brought to Golgotha) - att. A tempo sostenuto (Nailed to the cross) Lento - Agitato (He dies on the cross) 39 Largo (Laid in the tomb)