Show less

Staged in the Czech original with Czech, English and German titles.

Parformance is 3 hours long.

Synopsis

South Bohemia is the land of the Lords of the Rose, and there are monuments to them at every turn. Yet we know so little about the first members of the family. Only the last two volumes of Břežan’s Rosenberg Chronicle have survived, and the first have been lost forever. Or maybe not? What if someone hid them, at Vyšší Brod Monastery for example…

Act 1
Just an ordinary day at the monastery, that is until one of the monks discovers an old book beneath a loose stone. Curious, he opens its pages and the temple comes to life with the lives of those who were present at its foundation – and we know from legend that there were also devils among them! The steward Michálek is worried about the whereabouts of the knight Jarek, who has been sent to arrange the marriage of Lord Vok and the widow Mandaléna. He arrives with bad news and indignantly makes a pledge that he will not marry either until Lord Vok is betrothed. The hermit Beneš is also interested in Vok’s possible marriage, though he longs for the position of abbot at the newly founded monastery, for which reason he has secretly visited the widow and dissuaded her from marrying Vok. Now he is haunted by his guilty conscience in the form of Rarach. Jarek is also awaited by his beloved Katuška. He comes to her and assures her of his love, but Beneš reminds him of his pledge. Lord Vok arrives with his nephew Záviš and everyone greets them. Jarek confesses that he has failed with the widow, but Vok is resigned to the fact that he will never find love. Michálek offers him his daughter Katuška, but she confesses her love for Jarek. When Jarek’s pledge is revealed, Vok swears that he will find a way to free Jarek from his pledge. Beneš offers his help and asks for the position of abbot in return. A messenger arrives with news – the deceased Lady of Schauenburg, Vok’s first and only true love, has entrusted her daughter Hedvika to his care. Vok sends Záviš for her.

Act 2
Jarek searches in vain for peace of mind, but thoughts of Katuška haunt him everywhere. He is not even helped by escaping to a hermitage, where Rarach summons her likeness to him in a dream. Michálek is unhappy. He had imagined a future with Lord Vok as his son-in-law, and now nothing will come of it. Katuška finds Jarek sleeping and they reconcile. Vok arrives and Záviš describes to him the charms of Hedvika, who is just arriving. Vok looks in amazement at the girl, who is the perfect image of her mother, and discovers that his feelings for Hedvika are much more than merely paternal. Beneš and Rarach, however, convince him that Záviš loves Hedvika and that he should not stand in the way of the young people. At the same time, they offer a solution to free Jarek from his pledge – Vok should be betrothed to the church and enter the monastery. His declaration causes outrage, however, and everyone begs him to change his decision. On seeing Hedvika, Vok decides to try his luck in love one more time. He declares that he will spend the night in prayer in the monastery and should the one that loves him come by morning, he will be betrothed to her instead of to the church.

Act 3
Vok is preparing to travel to the monastery. Záviš again tries to convince him that he does not love Hedvika, but Vok is insistent that he does. Katuška and Jarek bring Hedvika. She also loves Vok, but does not want to be the first to express her feelings. Vok leaves. Katuška, Jarek and Záviš convince Hedvika that Vok loves her too, but she runs away from them. Záviš is determined to get to the monastery to see Vok, but Michálek, preventing his master from being disturbed, blocks his way. Záviš runs off, determined to bring Hedvika back. Beneš confides his sins in Michálek – it was he who ruined Vok’s marriage in order to obtain his property for the abbey. Michálek runs to find Katuška and, if necessary, to bring her to Vok by force. The local girls are also sneaking through the night up to the monastery in the hope that Vok will choose one of them, but they are caught by their boyfriends. Beneš has cleared his conscience with his confession, but Rarach does not want to give up. He summons dark forces with which he controls everyone present and with their help builds a dam so that the waters of the Vltava flood the monastery. Hedvika returns. Jarek runs after her and they are both determined to save Vok. Katuška also comes running. Vok and Beneš are roused by Hedvika’s and Jarek’s calls. Beneš raises the cross and drives the infernal forces away. The flood subsides, but Vok has eyes only for Hedvika and she for him.
The monk closes the book, Lord Vok and the others disappear, but the spell of love remains.

Show less