Libuse

Smetana's Libuse in an extraordinary performance by Jakub Hrusa and the Czech Philharmonic. This new recording of Smetana's Libuse captures one of the highpoints of the Year of Czech Music 2024, which brought together the Czech Philharmonic, the Prague Philharmonic Choir, and leading Czech vocal soloists under the baton of Jakub Hrusa. This festive opera, created for the opening of the National Theatre in Prague, transcends it's role as a historical tableau and a symbol of national identity. In it, Smetana tells a story of the search for a just order, the responsibilities of a ruler, and the ability to overcome personal disputes for the good of society as a whole, values that have lost none of their relevance. Soprano Katerina Knežíkova appears in the title role, combining the regal dignity of Princess Libuse with the lyrical tenderness and human dimension of this legendary figure. Conductor Jakub Hrusa reveals not only the monumental and ceremonial dimension of Smetana's score, but also it's wealth of colour, the transparency of it's more intimate passages, and the subtle shaping of psychological tension. Under his leadership, the Czech Philharmonic creates a dynamic arc that moves from conflict and reconciliation to Libuse's final prophecy - a grand vision of Czech history in which the past opens a path to the future. The recording was made in May and June 2024 at concerts of the Prague Spring International Music Festival and during preparations for the Smetana Litomysl Festival, as part of the Smetana200 project.