Smetana: The Two Widows

Bedřich Smetana’s “The Two Widows” (Dvě vdovy) is considered a less familiar gem of the operatic repertoire. The plot is set on a Bohemian country estate, where the contrasting personalities of the recently widowed cousins Karolína and Anežka are put to the test by the attentions of the landowner, Ladislav. Smetana’s masterful theatrical craftsmanship seamlessly blends Czech dances and choruses with beautiful, cavatina-like solos. With the human warmth of his chamber-music comedy and his skillfully transparent orchestration, Smetana created in “The Two Widows” a style of conversational opera that was greatly admired by Richard Strauss. Somewhat overshadowed by the more extroverted “The Bartered Bride,” Smetana’s “The Two Widows” has until now only been represented in its complete form on a few recordings from the Supraphon label. This new release will broaden appreciation for a beautiful and innovative opera that created an early precedent for stage works whose narrative flow emerges from natural speech melody, rather than being interrupted by grand arias and set pieces. Robert Jindra, chief conductor of the Košice State Philharmonic and music director of the National Theatre in Prague since 2022, conducts the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra.