Jenufa – A Woman’s Tragedy | London Symphony Orchestra

Janácek’s searing, magnificent opera explores a woman’s limited options in a suffocating small town.

Jenufa is pregnant, but she isn’t married. In her mountain village, this means disgrace, or even death. Her stepmother, Kostelnicka, wants to help her, but what should she do?

Janácek pondered his characters’ predicament for many years. The opera he eventually completed is a blazing vision of human suffering and redemption, rooted in the rhythms of everyday life.

Conductor Emeritus Sir Simon Rattle and the LSO have presented two of Janácek’s operas to critical acclaim, and this is the next instalment. Jenufa brings together a remarkable cast, including Asmik Grigorian’s heartbreaking portrayal of a vulnerable young woman and Katarina Karnéus’ achingly powerful Kostelnicka.