大象传媒

In 2020, 大象传媒 Radio 3 is bringing together musical greats, from the past and the present, in one extraordinary Proms season. Radio 3 is broadcasting the best of four decades of unmissable Proms concerts.
Karita Mattila stars in a concert performance of Jan谩膷ek鈥檚 opera The Makropulos Affair, a drama of immortality, death and the purpose of life, conducted by Ji艡铆 B臎lohl谩vek with the 大象传媒 Singers and 大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra.
Presented by Kate Molleson

Jan谩膷ek: The Makropulos Affair (concert performance; sung in Czech)
Emilia Marty ..... Karita Mattila (soprano)
Albert Gregor ..... Ale拧 Briscein (tenor)
Dr Kolenat媒 ..... Gust谩v Bel谩膷ek (bass)
V铆tek ..... Jan Vac铆k (tenor)
Kristina ..... Eva 艩t臎rbov谩 (soprano)
Baron Jaroslav Prus ..... Svatopluk Sem (baritone)
Janek ..... Ale拧 Vor谩膷ek (tenor)
Hauk-艩endorf ..... Jan Je啪ek (tenor)
Stage Technician ..... Ji艡铆 Klecker (bass)
Cleaning Woman ..... Yvona Skv谩rov谩 (mezzo-soprano)
Chambermaid ..... Jana Hrochov谩 (mezzo-soprano)
大象传媒 Singers
大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra

Ji艡铆 B臎lohl谩vek (conductor)

(From the 大象传媒 Proms 2016, 19 August)

An all-star cast gathers for Jan谩膷ek鈥檚 late, existential masterpiece, The Makropulos Affair. This tragic satire is powered by a score that contains some of the composer鈥檚 most extreme and alluring music, written as Jan谩膷ek was approaching 70 鈥� and aflame with desire for a married woman less than half his age. The opera鈥檚 heroine, Emilia Marty, is part-inspired by his reluctant muse, Kamila St枚sslov谩.

The Finnish soprano Karita Mattila, acclaimed for her 鈥榚lectrifying鈥� portrayal of Marty in a 2012 production at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, is joined by native Czech musicians, including the 大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra鈥檚 former Conductor Laureate Ji艡铆 B臎lohl谩vek. This is only the second performance of The Makropulos Affair at the Proms 鈥� the first being Glyndebourne Festival Opera鈥檚 1995 production under Sir Andrew Davis.