Presto Recording of the Week
2nd May 2025

Agneta Eichenholz (Jenůfa), Katarina Karnéus (Kostelnička), Aleš Briscein (Laca), Nicky Spence (Števa), Jan Martiník (Starek, the Foreman/Mayor), Carole Wilson (Grandmother Buryjovka)

London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Sir Simon Rattle

Janácek's searing, magnificent opera explores a woman's limited options in a suffocating small town. Jenufa is pregnant, but she isn't married. In her isolated mountain village this means disgrace, or even death. The composer pondered his characters' predicament for many years. The opera he eventually completed is a blazing vision of human suffering and redemption, rooted in the rhythms of everyday life. Jenufa brings together a remarkable cast, including Agneta Eichenholz's heartbreaking portrayal of a vulnerable young woman and Katarina Karnéus' achingly powerful Kostelnicka. The third in a series of Janácek operas presented by Conductor Emeritus Sir Simon Rattle and the LSO, this next instalment follows the critically acclaimed Katya Kabanova, released in 2024, and The Cunning Little Vixen, released in 2020.