Šárka – 1888 version

"Roots" is the theme of the festival’s 10th edition, and the premiere performance by the Brno-based ensemble focuses precisely on this concept. Through a site-specific production at the Besední dům—a venue inextricably linked to Janáček’s role in Brno’s cultural life—we will return to the very beginnings of the Maestro’s operatic output. The opera *Šárka* exists in two forms: the 1887 version, which Janáček completed only as a piano reduction, and the revised, fully orchestrated version from 1925. While both versions will be presented at the festival, director Jiří Heřman has chosen the original 1887 form for his project; this allows him to immerse the audience within the Besední dům in the midst of the dramatic clash between men and women—a conflict that culminates in tragedy. The piano part will be performed by the outstanding British pianist Julius Drake, an artist well known to festival audiences from previous years as a brilliant interpreter of Janáček’s music.