Janácek's Fauna (in Czech) opens the curtain at the Liceu

The cunning fox (Príhody lisky bystrousky) is a delightful opera by Leos Janácek, first seen at the Liceu in 2001 in an English version by Opera North and translated into Catalan as The Cunning Little Vixen. Now, the same title opens the season at the Teatro de la Rambla in its original Czech version, under the direction of Barrie Kosky, responsible for the staging, with a show that premiered three years ago in Munich.

The fabulous score is an avalanche of small miniatures that, when combined, create a unique tapestry of dreamlike resonances that require meticulous orchestral conducting. In a new challenge for Josep Pons as the house's principal conductor, the conductor from Puig-reig creates a version that is more precious than theatrical, more symphonic than chamber, and with some slightly unbalanced passages in terms of volume that sometimes drowns out the voices. Instead, it is in the orchestral interludes where Pons displays his mastery.

As in the rest of his operas, Janácek demands a sense of detail, good taste, and devotion to the word. And Josep Pons partially delivers, in front of an orchestra still poorly-oiled at the start of the season. High quality for the choral interventions: the Liceísta ensemble and, above all, the childlike heart of the Orfeó Català.

For his part, Kosky explores the universe of the fable with his characteristic visual imagination, with touches of humor that are his trademark, such as the henhouse scene. However, the genuine sense of humor that characterizes him does not shine through in Andreas Weirich's revival and throughout three-quarters of the show. The overall result, then, is only partially convincing in the face of a work that doesn't sufficiently explore the opera's human-animal dialectic, with the exception of Victoria Behr's costumes, which dress the humans in black and the animals in various colors. All of this is enhanced by the attractive combination of Michael Levine's set design and Franck Evin's sensational lighting.

The large cast includes many familiar voices, which is always appreciated, in the many animal roles that make limited appearances throughout the score. The spotlight is on three top performers: Swedish baritone Peter Mattei is a convincing gamekeeper, and the pairing of the fox and the fox (Russian soprano Elena Tsallagova and the mezzo-soprano) couldn't have been more appropriate, thanks to their musical and theatrical understanding. The rest of the cast is accurate and consistent.

Risk with quality works

The show, as we said, inaugurates the 2025-2026 season of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, shortly before the performances ofAkhnaten by Philip Glass. Two works very far from the appeal with which an opera house should open its doors and from the glamour of the great repertoire titles. The operation is certainly risky, aside from the quality of the two works and the shows proposed (get tickets for Akhnaten, please; there are seven performances from October 16 to November 3). The big news is that the Liceu is once again offering printed programs... and for free. Of course, to find the in-depth content of the works, you'll need to keep accessing the website, because the programs themselves contain many pages of advertising. This is what happens when you live in a world driven by marketing and immediate financial gain. Fortunately, Janácek's score operates outside of these considerations.