The Devil's Wall by Smetana, Fri 24 Oct 2014, From (2014/2015), Directed by Jiří Nekvasil, Conductor Robert Jindra, Marek Prášil, Antonín Dvořák Theatre, Ostrava, Czech Republic

"My opera will be a puzzle for many a critic..." Smetana wrote while working on Devil's Wall, from which he created a remarkable work full of stage and musical fantasy. In a collage-like manner, romantic flamboyance, comedy, the inner sensitivity of arias and duets, the sophistication of musical ensembles, choral scenes and dissonance and brevity anticipating the world of the next music of the 20th century are mixed here. The libretto was written by Eliška Krásnohorská , inspired by an old legend. Thus arose the story of the devil, who pursues his own advantage, and prevents Mr. Vok from marrying and preserving the family. Smetana filled the story in his music with strongly autobiographical elements. It represents his desire for love, for hope, for personal happiness and social rehabilitation, for redemption and the destruction of his ownThe Devil's Walls - a deadly wall built around him by the curse of deafness, torturous hallucinations and gradually killing madness.