Ka Kabanov a Phody liky Bystrouky / Ka Kabanov and The Cunning Little Vixen Zahrdka Ji (2026)

After the establishment of Czechoslovakia, Leo Janek entered the peak period of his career. Ka Kabanov and The Cunning Little Vixen are the first operas from the final decade of his life, a period often described as the composers grand old age. In these works, Janek perfected his compositional method by bringing story, words, and music together. This book examines the creation of both operas in the context of the turbulent 1920s, when Janek, born in the mid-nineteenth century, had to respond to the political and cultural changes brought about by the new order in Europe after the end of the First World War, the establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic, and changing paradigms in music, art, and society. It follows the composers sources of inspiration, his search for ideal dramaturgy and compositional solutions, and the staging history of both works, including their successes and failures in reaching foreign stages, as well as his collaboration with Max Brod and much more. It also touches on Janeks The Diary of One Who Disappeared, which he considered not only a song cycle but also a work for a semi-staged dramatic form. The text is accompanied by rich and often unique iconographic material.