Katya Kabanova is Janacek's most tragic opera. Katya simply wants to be happy and everything conspires against her. The characters are richly drawn by the composer and he gives them marvelous music to sing, framing it all in a richly descriptive orchestration. I think this was not the UK premiere of this opera, but a revival from several years later. Shuard is a tremendous Katya, reveling in her monologues, especially in the third act. She has no trouble with the vocal line and is very moving as she builds to her suicide.Edith Coates makes a convincing Kabanicha; she doesn't play her as just a monster. Janacek gives this character very little stage time and we're never really sure what her motivations are for her cruelty. Marion Studholme is a lovely Varvara and the men are all excellent. Rowland Jones sings very ardently as Boris. His scenes with Shuard are the highlight of the performance. Kubelik conducts most persuasively. The diction is clear throughout, making a strong case for performing these operas in translation. The sound is mostly very good. This was taken from a tape now over a half-century old and it has stood the test of time well. The filler of Shuard and Vinay in the final section of Die Walkure Act One makes one long to hear the complete performance. Fortunately, it's available from Opera Depot.

Great cast and great sound.

After ordering this recording I looked through my old Sadlers Wells programmes and found I actually had one for the perfomance on Thursday 3rd June 1954. My late sister certainly attended the performance and I am not certain if I was with her on that occasion. I know I did see the production. The discs arrived today and the amazing thing is that I can recognise all the singers voices after all the years. In those days we did not need surtitles, despite the fact that the accustic at the old Sadlers Wells was rather dry, the singers diction was so good.

I am delighted to be able to listen to this historic performance. I find the whole performance deeply moving, especially that of Amy Shuard as Katya. I think Janacek is one composer whose works really demand that the listener is fluent in the language being sung. The intensity seems twice as great.