The Cunning Little Vixen

The State Opera of South Australia’s production of Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen is an absolute delight and a triumph in more ways than one. For a start, this production is staged in the Ridley Centre in the Adelaide Showground. This is a bold move, a new initiative by State Opera’s new Artistic Director, Stuart Maunder to mount productions in other venues than the more formal Festival Centre. In this case, it is a complete success.

One the best things about this production being performed in the Ridley Centre is that the music is played by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. It is not often that one has an orchestra of this size in the Orchestra Pit of a theatre but for this production one does.  Led by Conductor Johannes Fritzch this is simply marvelous.

The Cunning Little Vixen was inspired by a 1920 serialised comic-book Liška Bystrouška by Rudolf Tesnohlidek. Janacek composed the opera between 1921 and 1923, and it was first performed in November 1924 at the Czech National Theatre in Brno. It was not, however, staged in the UK until 1961. Since then it has been a popular work, and has been part of the repertoire of numerous opera companies.

One reason for this popularity is that it is essentially an opera for children. Subsequently, it is an excellent introduction to the relatively complex and multi-layered music of 20^th Century opera. There are no major ‘hit’ songs; you do not come out singing a song from the ‘Hits of Janacek’. What is here, however, are beautiful melodies and rifts, most of them coming from the world of Czech folk music.

The story involves a mischievous ‘Little Vixen’ who is kidnapped from her home in the Forest by a man called ‘The Forrester’. Despite the kindness of ‘The Forrester’ her life growing up in the world of man is hideous. She escapes and returns to the Forest. She meets a fox, simply called ‘Fox’, and the pair get married and have lots of children. Meanwhile, however, in the world of man, a poacher called Harasta has been hired to track down ‘Little Vixen’ and her brood and destroy them.

Without giving away the outcome, nonetheless, there is a tragic element and depth in this children’s opera that catches one by surprise.

This production has been directed by Stuart Maunder, who leads a creative team that includes Richard Roberts (Set Design), Roger Kirk (Costume Design), and Trudy Dalgleish (Lighting Design).

The central role of the ‘Vixen’ is beautifully played by Desiree Frahn. She is well supported by the other major roles, particularly Antoinette Halloran as ‘Fox’ and James Clayton as the ‘Forrester’, as well as the State Opera Chorus and the State Opera Children’s Chorus.

All are to be congratulated for delivering such a smart, elegant, and charming production, and in an exciting venue for State Opera – more, please.

Tony Knight

Photographer: Bernard Hull