Janáček: Jenufa (2 SACD)

Recording of the Week, Simon Rattle conducts Janáček's Jenůfa 2nd May 2025 Continuing their survey of Janáček's operas, Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra bring out the tenderness present throughout much of the score, alongside exceptional performances by Agneta Eichenholz, Nicky Spence, Aleš Briscein, and Katarina Karnéus. Jenůfa is pregnant, but she isn't married. In her isolated mountain village this means disgrace, or even death. The composer 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. Jenůfa brings together a remarkable cast, including Agneta Eichenholz's heartbreaking portrayal of a vulnerable young woman and Katarina Karnéus' achingly powerful Kostelnička. The third in a series of Janáček operas presented by Conductor Emeritus Sir Simon Rattle and the LSO, this next installment follows the critically acclaimed Katya Kabanova, released in 2024, and The Cunning Little Vixen, released in 2020.