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Staged in czech original with czech, english and german subtitles. v českém originále s českými, anglickými a německými titulky.

Duration: 2 hours a 55 minutes, 2 intermitions

Synopsis of the Opera

Act 1

It is the day of festivities and singing is heard from the church, to which Bohuš, the son of the Count of Harasov with his wife Julie are listening, deeply moved. Years ago, Bohuš parted ways on bad terms with his father, who accused him of supporting the French Revolution and denounced him for marrying Julie against his will. Bohuš left for France and now the couple have returned, eager to reconcile with the father. The locals arrive from the church, among them the teacher Benda with his daughter Terinka and her sweetheart – his assistant Jiří. But the arrogant burgrave Filip is also attracted to Terinka. The jealous Jiří is not happy about it and when the burgrave asks Terinka

to dance, he mocks him in anger with a song. The burgrave promises to take revenge by making sure Jiří is conscripted to the army. Sound of trumpets announces arrival of the Count, who brings his nephew Adolf. Benda mistakes Adolf for Bohuš and rejoices at the reconciliation between the Count and his son. However, the Count curses the son in front of the crowd and introduces Adolf as his new heir.

Act 2

At school, Benda and local children rehearse a festive cantata he has composed in honour of the Count and to welcome the new lord of the castle. The rehearsal comes to an end, but Jiří secretly returns to Terinka. Benda walks in on them and the young couple have no choice but

to pretend to be rehearsing their duet from the cantata. Benda sees through their deception and declares that Terinka shall marry the burgrave. Both Terinka and Jiří threaten to ruin the evening’s show. The women of the town come running in with the news that two foreigners have come to town and are rumoured to be dangerous agents of the revolution, Jacobins! Bohuš and Julie enter the school at the same time. At first, Benda rejects them, but when they convince him that they are artists like him, he offers them hospitality. Bohuš begs him to arrange access to the Count that evening. Filip, the burgrave, arrives to court Terinka. Jiří refuses to leave and the angry burgrave threatens to have him conscripted immediately. Adolf arrives next, promising the burgrave the office of chief if he catches the suspicious strangers. Bohuš comes out of hiding to protect Jiří. Adolf, who had a great deal to do with Bohuš’s quarrel with his father, has him arrested and taken to prison so that he cannot reveal his own intrigue to the count.

Act 3

Jiří tries to reach out to the Count to tell him that Adolf had his son arrested, but the Count throws him in jail. Benda and Julie go to the castle, where they are secretly let in by the key-holder, Lotinka. While Julie hides, Benda pleads with the Count to forgive his son, but he refuses. The Count is only softened by Julie who, in hiding, sings the lullaby of Bohuš’s mother. This is a proof of Bohuš’s innocence to the emotional Count. He was condemned to death by the Jacobins, Julie rescued him and together they escaped from France. But now he is a prisoner in his father’s castle. The Count promises to make things right. The guests gather and Benda’s cantata is performed. Before handing over the estate to Adolf, the Count plans to invoke an ancient law of amnesty to pardon all his prisoners. Both the burgrave and Adolf make excuses, but finally admit that there is a stranger in the

castle jail. The Count has him brought in and nothing stands in the way of forgiveness and a happy ending anymore.

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