FULL Hubička or The Kiss (Smetana) TV-Opera Movie Prague 1976 Marcela Machotková, Ivo Žídek, Jaroslav Horáček, Jaroslav Souček
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Hubička aka The Kiss
- Composer: Smetana Bedrich
- Libretto: Eliška Krásnohorská
- Venue & Opera Company: Prague, Czech Republic
- Recorded: 1976
- Type: Movie
- Singers: Marcela Machotková, Ivo Žídek, Jaroslav Horáček, Jaroslav Souček, V. Soukupová, S. Procházková, D. Jedlička, N. Šormová and L. Havlák
- Conductor: F. Vajnar
- Orchestra: Czech Symphony Orchestra
- Chorus: Opera Choir of the National Theater in Prague
- Chorus Master: M. Malý
- Stage Director: K. Jernek
- Costume Designer:
Information about the Recording
- Published by: Czech TV
- Date Published: 1976
- Format: Broadcast
- Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
- Subtitles: nosubs
- Video Recording from: YouTube FULL VIDEO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
Hubička is the sixth opera by Bedřich Smetana . It premiered on November 7, 1876 at the Provisional Theater in Prague . After the cold reception of some of Smetana’s previous operas based on the principles of modern music and therefore not fully understood, Hubička was a new “national” opera based on folk traditions and expressing the environment of the Czech countryside, as well as the typical Czech soul. Thus, Smetana dedicated to the people a melodic work, understandable to a wide range of people and in its character following on from the very successful Bartered Bride . The premiere, already visited by Crown Prince Rudolf , was received with enthusiasm and respect for Smetana was all the greater because Hubička was composed by a deaf man. The libretto of the comic opera in two acts was written by Eliška Krásnohorská based on a short story by Karolina Světlá .
Plot
Act 1: Martinka appears in Paloucký’s house and announces that the young widower Lukáš is coming to court. Lukáš has been in love with Vendulka for years , but due to the will of his parents he had to marry another woman. She died, but before that she bore him a child.
Lukáš arrives with Tomeš and with them people from the whole village. Father Paloucký is willing to give Vendulka to Lukáš , but he does not like to do so, because both Lukáš and Vendulka are hard-headed and their lives will be a struggle. Lukáš scoffs at it. Soon, however, a dispute breaks out over the mouthful, which Lukáš asks of Vendulka , but Vendulka does not want to give it to him until they are together, so as not to upset the goddess. When the two are alone, a heated argument breaks out. Lukáš eventually leaves the house and Vendulka stays with his child. She rocks them and sings him lullabies.
Suddenly, Lukáš appears under the window and kisses the girls he brought here to cheerful songs, and all this in front of people. Unhappy Vendulka runs away to Martinka .
Act 2: Smugglers walk through the dark border forest at night, quietly so as not to be revealed. That’s when Lukáš finds himself here , who ran away here to lament his wrongdoing. He is caught by Tomeš , who was afraid that Lukáš would do something to himself. She advises him to apologize to Vendulka in front of the witnesses, because Vendulka still likes him. Matthew hears it all. He soon meets Martinka and Vendulka , who is helping her aunt with the potty today. They hand over smuggled goods and then Matouš hurries to Lukáš to tell him that Vendulka is hiding with her aunt. In the meantime, Martinka convinces Vendulka , who is suffocating that she is done with Lukáš for good, to stop resisting – a mouth is nothing bad after all. In doing so, they meet a policeman, whom Vendulka is horrified by.
It’s already dawn and Barče is waiting in front of Martinča’s cottage . The song of the lark welcomes joyfully. Matouš arrives and brings Lukáš , Tomš , Paloucký and people from the village. Lukáš first begs Father Paloucký for forgiveness, and after the arrival of Vendulka , she too. She forgives him and wants to shut him up, but Lukáš doesn’t want to – now they want to give way to each other. Then they finally fall into each other’s arms.
Quoted from Wikipedia