URBANOVÁ E. FAMOUS CZECH OPERA DUETS (SMETANA B. LIBUŠE, BARTERED BRIDE, DALIBOR, DVOŘÁK A

1. Bedřich Smetana - Libuse. Festive Opera in 3 Acts 00:03:58

1. Act 3, Scene 5 Behold! Now from the misty veils just formed ... 00:03:58

2. Bedřich Smetana - The Bartered Bride. Opera in Three Acts 00:11:37

- Act 2, Scene 4 Duetto - Now then, my dear man ... 00:07:33

- Act 1, Scene 2 Duetto - Faitful love cannot be marred ... 00:02:15

- Act 3, Scene 3 Duetto - We shall make a graceful little bear of you ... 00:01:49

3. Bedřich Smetana - Dalibor. Opera in 3 Acts. 00:09:34

- Act 2, scene change 2, Scene 2 - Dalibor, I beg you pardon 00:09:34

4. Antonín Dvořák - The Jacobin. Opera in 3 Acts, Op. 84 00:05:05

- Act 2 - Scene 5: We have wandered in foreign lands ... 00:05:05

5. Antonín Dvořák - Rusalka. Opera in 3 Acts, Op. 114 00:15:24

- Act 3: Do you still know me, lover? 00:15:24

6. Zdeněk Fibich - Sarka. Opera in 3 Acts, Op. 51 00:15:11

- Act 2 - Woe! Help me! 00:15:11

7. Leoš Janáček - Jenufa. Opera in 3 Acts 00:08:42

- Act 2, Scene 4 - But what now? Who will save my child? 00:08:42

soprano: Eva Urbanová

tenor: Leo Marian Vodicka

bass: Richard Novak

tenor: Jaroslav Brezina

soprano: Martina Bauerova

baritone: Dalibor Tolas

Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra of Europe

Frantisek Preisler jr conductor

The diva Eva Urbanova (soprano) invited to her concert given at the Smetana Hall of Prague's Municipal House on 10 December, 1999, several leading Czech opera singers. For that occasion, she chose a programme focused exclusively on classics of Czech opera literature: works by Smetana, Dvorak, Fibich, and Janacek. Famous operatic duets constituted the backbone of the night, and their renditions showed both Eva Urbanova and her guests in the best light. For aficionados of Czech opera, this CD is certain to become the source of much delight. It brings an editedlive recording from the concert. Eva Urbanova heralds the programme's festival atmosphere by her account of the illustrious Prophecy aria from Smetana's Libuse, and closes it off with a peerlessreading of Kostelnicka's aria from Jenufa.

(Supraphon 2001)