AT THE OPERA
A Charles Mackerras celebration, Part 9
Prepared and presented by James Nightingale
Janácek, L. The Makropulos affair. Opera in three acts. Libretto by the composer after the comedy by Karel Čapek. First performed Brno, 1926.
Janácek, L. The Makropulos affair. Act I
[37:15]
Janácek, L. The Makropulos affair. Act II
[29:57]
Janácek, L. The Makropulos affair. Act III
[29:20]
EMILIA MARTY: Elizabeth Söderström, sop
ALBERT GREGOR: Peter Dvroský, ten
JAROSLAV PRUS: Václav Vitek, bar
Vienna State Opera Ch; Vienna PO/Charles Mackerras.
Decca 430 372-2 [01:35:20]
The singer Emilia Marty intervenes in a legal case concerning a disputed 100-year-old will. One of the parties to the will, Albert Gregor, is the descendant of the illegitimate son of a former Baron Prus; the other is the present baron. Emilia¹s interest is not so much in the document itself as in even more ancient papers with it. She eventually reveals that her real name is Elina Makropulos, born in 1575, daughter of a royal phyisican who had tried out an elixir on her which prolonged her life. She has lived for over 300 years, under various names, all with the initial E.M., and was the mother of Albert Gregor¹s ancestor. Feeling herself growing old, she is trying to find the formula to renew her life span but, when it is found, she decides she is tired of life and gives the document to the daughter of a clerk in the lawyer¹s office, who burns it as Marty dies.
Schulhoff, E. Three atmospheric portraits, op 12 (1913). Magdalena Kozená, mezz; Christoph Henschel, vn; Malcolm Martineau, pf.
DG 471 581-2 [05:59]
Dvořák, A. Slavonic dance in C minor, op 46 no 7 (1878). Czech PO/Charles Mackerras.
Supraphon SU 3422-2 031 [03:29]
22:00 MUSIC OF THE NIGHT
Prepared by Paul Cooke
With Nena Beretin
Hanson, H. Mosaics (1958). Seattle SO/Gerard Schwarz.
Delos DE3705 [12:00]
Carneyro, C. Piano trio, op 24 (1928). Trio Pangea.
Naxos 8.573402 [21:48]
Frances-Hoad, C. Cello concerto, Earth, sea, air (2022). Laura van der Heijden, vc; BBC Scottish SO/Ryan Wigglesworth.
Chandos CHSA 5346 [21:14]
Holloway, R. Serenade in C, op 41 (1979). Nash Ensemble.
Hyperion CDA66930 [24:30]
Tubin, E. Symphony no 3 (1940-42). Swedish RSO/Neeme Järvi.
BIS CD-342 [33:28]

At the Opera 11 March 2026
3:59:59

At the Opera 4 March 2026
3:59:59

At the Opera 25 February 2026
3:59:58