MARTINU : HRY O MARII

 Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 4th of July 2010  3.04 - 6 pm

INTRODUCTION (pictures)
REVIEW (FRUFRU, pictures)
RECORDING (1994)

MARTINU: The Plays of Mary, a cycle of four one-act operas

The Wise and Foolish Virgins
Archangel Gabriel.......... Stanislava Jirku
Foolish Virgin................ Jana Levicová
Oils Dealer.................... Jirí Hájek
Oils Dealer.................... Frantisek Zahradnícek
Bridegroom................... Pavla Vykopalová
Bride............................. Stanislava Jirku
Bride............................. Jaroslav Brezina
Bridegroom................... Ivan Kusnjer
Leader.......................... Jakub Gottwald

Mariken of Nimègue
Mariken........................ Maria Kobielska
Devil............................. Svatopluk Sem
Principal........................ Jakub Gottwald
God the Son.................. Jirí Hájek
Mother of God.............. Stanislava Jirku
Mascaro....................... Jaroslav Brezina
Drunkard...................... Frantisek Zahradnícek
Girl............................... Jana Levicová

The Nativity
Mary............................. Maria Koielska
Blacksmith.................... Ivan Kusnjer
Blacksmith's daughter.... Stanislava Jirku
Innkeeper...................... Jirí Hájek
Leader.......................... Jakub Gottwald

Sister Pascaline
Sister Pascaline............. Pavla Vykopalová
Sister Marta.................. Stanislava Jirku
Maiden......................... Maria Kobielska
Leader.......................... Jakub Gottwald
Jana Levicová (contralto), Jaroslav Brezina (ten), Frantisek Zahradnícek (bass),
Kühn Children's Chorus, Prague Philharmonic Chorus,
Prague National Opera Chorus & Orch/Jirí Belohlávek
(Czech Republic Radio)

This four-in-one opera (not a triptych, like Puccini's Trittico, but a tetraptych) is entitled Hry o Marii, translated as The Miracles of Mary or The Plays of Mary; either way I feel it is a misnomer. The Virgin Mother Mary appears or is involved in three of them, but not in the first; its title (Wise and Foolish Virgins) might have covered the whole set of them, because "virgin" seems to be the connecting thread, not Mary. However, we are told that the overarching subject is "woman": "Its central theme, inspired by medieval miracle plays and legends, is the benevolence and compassionateness of the Virgin Mary, and in the wider sense (and above all) womanhood – wise, foolish, sinful, vain, affectionate, self-sacrificing, munificent..."

Most of us will say: I have never seen, heard, or even heard of it. My record collection has none of the operas of Bohuslav Martinu (the u should have a little o above it, as in this letter å): Julietta; The Greek Passion; but I have his oratorio The Epic of Gilgamesh (based on the ancient Mesopotamian poem, which I once translated for my students, but am not quite ready to put it on the web).

Frufru went to this production in December 2009 (see REVIEW above): "In short, it was a night to remember. Few works are as overwhelming as this masterpiece by Martinů. It is beyond me why it is so underperformed.... The music just enwraps you, a magic happens and you are taken to another world.... Overall, it was one of the most overwhelming opera experiences I've ever had."