UBC Opera stages Prodaná nevěsta (The Bartered Bride), November 28 to December 4
Smetana’s lively comic opera centres on two young lovers determined to marry against all odds
SPONSORED POST BY UBC Opera
UBC Opera’s 2014 production of The Bartered Bride. Photo by Tim Matheson
UBC Opera presents Prodaná nevěsta (The Bartered Bride) in collaboration with the Opera West Society from November 28 to December 4 in the Old Auditorium.
Featuring music by Bedřich Smetana and libretto by Karel Sabina, this lively three-act comic opera is sung in Czech with English surtitles.
Prodaná nevěsta celebrates love, wit, and national spirit. Set in a Czech village, the story centres on Mařenka and Jeník, two young lovers determined to marry despite the schemes of Mařenka’s ambitious parents. Believing Jeník to be poor, they agree to marry her to Vašek—the shy, awkward son of a wealthy landowner—in an arrangement by the calculating marriage broker Kecal.
Jeník appears to betray Mařenka by accepting payment to renounce his claim to her. However, he cleverly inserts a condition into the contract: Mařenka may marry only “the eldest son of Micha”, her intended father-in-law. Unknown to everyone, Jeník is Micha’s long-lost elder son from an earlier marriage, making him the true heir and the only man who fulfills the agreement. Kecal realizes too late that he has been outwitted.
Meanwhile, Vašek—who is briefly lured by the beautiful dancer Esmeralda into joining a travelling circus—makes a last-minute appearance as the Bear. His very brief career in the circus is abruptly ended by his mother, Hata.
UBC Opera’s 2014 production of The Bartered Bride. Photo by Tim Matheson
After much confusion, deceptions, and misunderstandings, this peculiar situation is resolved when Jeník reveals his identity, winning the respect of Mařenka’s parents. The lovers are united, Kecal’s plans collapse, and the village celebrates with music and dancing. Rich in memorable folk-inspired melodies, humour, and vibrant ensembles, Prodaná nevěsta remains Smetana’s best-loved opera and a cornerstone of the Czech operatic tradition.
UBC Opera’s upcoming production is helmed by conductor Norbert Baxa and director Anna Theodosakis, featuring members of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. Performances take place at 7:30 pm on November 28 and December 3 and 4, and at 2 pm on November 29.
Tickets can be purchased online at tickets.ubc.ca or by phone through the Chan Centre Ticket Office at 604-822-2697. Ticket office hours vary—folks can call the number to hear the most up-to-date hours.
Post sponsored by UBC Opera.
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