JANÁCEK : VEC MAKROPULOS

Radio New Zealand Concert network 
Sunday 19th of July 2015 at 6.03 - 8 pm
Sunday 10th of June 2012  at 3 - 6 pm

JANÁCEK: The Makropulos Thing, an opera in three acts
Elina, the daughter of the alchemist Hieronymus Makropulos, is given a potion by her father that extends life. She then takes on an itinerant life and becomes one of the best singers of all time.
Emilia Marty.................... Gitta-Maria Sjöberg
Albert Gregor................... Ales Briscein
Dr Kolenatý...................... Frantisek Duriac
Vitek................................. Petr Levicek
Kristina............................. Eva Sterbová
Baron Jaroslav Prus......... Svatopluk Sem
Janek................................ Peter Racko
Count Hauk-Sendorf........ Josef Skrobánek
Stage technician............... Jirí Klecker
Cleaning woman.............. Jítka Zerhauová
Maid................................. Jana Wallingerová
Brno Opera Chorus & Orch/Marko Ivanovic
(recorded in the Janácek Opera House, Brno)
 2012
Emilia Marty.................. Karita Mattila
Albert Gregor................ Richard Leech
Dr Kolenaty.................. Tom Fox
Vitek............................. Alan Oke
Kristina......................... Emalie Savoy
Baron Jaroslav Prus....... Christopher Feigum
Janek............................ Matthew Plenk
Count Hauk-Sendorf..... Bernard Fitch
Stagehand..................... James Courtney
Cleaning woman............ Jane Shaulis
Chambermaid................ Edyta Kulczak
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Jirí Belohlávek

INTRODUCTION
SYNOPSIS
Each of these references contains a synopsis.

The story concerns the end of the life of an opera singer who (just quietly) has lived for 327 years, at which time the potency of the potion she had taken when she was sixteen is petering out, and she has been trying to get the prescription for it, which is held in the Makropulos family estate.
    The title of the piece means "The Makropulos thing" (vec; c = ts here, but c = ch in Janàcek [it has an arrowhead on top]; ch = ch in Bach and loch). The term vec usually comes out as "case" or "affair"; certainly, the main character (originally Elina Makropulos, now Emilia Marty, with other names bearing the initials EM over the years) has "love affairs" with men (though she was somewhat cold, not to say frigid, in her latter days); and she does have a "case" (a lawsuit to gain possession of the document containing the formula for longevity); I myself have tried "matter" or "issue"; another suggestion is "document" (in a sealed envelope), which is what she is wanting; "secret" has been tried, hence my attempt, "The M. mystery"; finally, I offer "The M. formula", which is what the "thing" was, ultimately.
   However, it is interesting to see how "vec Makropulos" is used in the libretto: in the Decca translation (1978) Emilia Marty, at the end of her life, refers to it as "the Makropulos stuff"(the piece of paper in the envelope), but also "the M. secret". Really, I think the simplest solution is to say "the Makropulos thing" (meaning a material entity). 
   My recording is on two black discs (in envelopes!): Vienna Philharmonic, Charles Mackerras, Elisabeth Söderström (1978). Another, which I have not heard, has Jessye Norman, and Donald McIntyre, NY Metropera (1996). There are video recordings of other performances.