Dvořák - Act 1 from Rusalka, Op. 114 (1900) with score

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00:00 Overture
04:02 Ho, ho, ho!
12:25 Hastrmánku, tatíčku (Watersprite, my father dear)
21:15 Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém (Song to the Moon)
29:20 Staletá moudrost tvá všechno ví (Your ancient wisdom knows everything)
38:28 Čury mury fuk
43:12 Zde mihla se a zase zmizela (Here she appeared and again disappeared)
48:16 Vidino divná, přesladká (Prince aria)

Conductor Jiří Bělohlávek on this opera:
Personally, I would have serious misgivings if I had to choose between Dvorak’s last three symphonies. But Rusalka, the queen of Dvorak’s operas, I would name without a moment’s hesitation. In terms of the music itself, this work is utterly faultless. It is the product of profound emotion and its impact lies in the power of its truth. It doesn’t try to be something it’s not, there is no attempt at stylisation; this is music from the heart. It touches all aspects of natural human behaviour – love, desire, passion, betrayal, revenge, death, forgiveness and sacrifice – in such a ravishing and spontaneous arc, that it takes your breath away...

Performers: Milada Šubrtová (Rusalka), Eduard Haken (Vodník), Marie Ovčačíková (Ježibaba), Ivo Žídek (Prince), Václav Bednář (Hunter), Zdeněk Chalabala (conductor), Milan Malý (chorus master), Prague National Theatre Chorus, Prague National Theatre Orchestra

Wood nymphs are dancing by the lake in the moonlight and teasing the old Water Sprite. The only one not to join in the fun is Rusalka. She longs to become human and have a human soul so that she can awaken feelings of love in an unknown man who comes to swim in the lake while out hunting. Rusalka ignores the Water Sprite’s words of caution and seeks out the Witch. The latter casts a spell to give Rusalka a human soul and a human form, but at great cost: Rusalka has to sacrifice her translucent watery robes and her voice. And there is another condition: if mute Rusalka cannot keep the love of a human, she will be damned and will have to return to the depths of the lake, and her beloved will become a victim of her curse. Rusalka is not discouraged and, when she meets the Prince, he is enchanted by her beauty and falls in love with her. The Prince takes her to his castle.