The Cunning Little Vixen

Opera by Leoš Janáček

AMSERV presents:

Opera by Leoš Janáček
Libreto by Leoš Janáček after Rudolf Těsnohlídek’s serialised novella “Adventures of Vixen Sharp-Ears”
World premiere on November 6, 1924 in National Theatre Brno
Premiere in the Estonian National Opera on January 30, 2026

NB: STAGE FEVER BEFORE THE PREMIERE on January 30. 
Menue and additional information is HERE
Before the premiere of "The Cunning Little Vixen" opera by Leoš Janáček we invite all people to a dinner in the Estonia restaurant  where the creative team of the new production will accompany the guests. Alongside a delicious three-course dinner, we will talk about exciting details and incidents related to the birth of the production, which might go unnoticed on the stage. In an open discussion, visitors will also find answers to their questions. 

Stage Director: Priit Võigemast
Music Director: Arvo Volmer
Conductor: Kaspar Mänd
Designer: Rosita Raud (Estonian Theatre for Young Audiences)
Choreographer: Ingmar Jõela
Video: Aljona Movko-Mägi
Light Design: Priidu Adlas (Eesti Draamateater)

Sung in Estonian with subtitles in Estonian and English.

Janáček found the original subject for the piece in Rudolf Těsnohlídek’s newspaper serial story, inspired by Stanislav Lolek’s cartoon strip consisting of more than 200 pictures. The composer detailed the adventures of a clever fox cub. She is captured by the local Forester, grows up on his farm, and then escapes back to the woods to raise a family.

Human beings, like vixens, are born, grow, marry and die. Janáček illuminates for us the cycles of life and nature, and at the same time, he shows us archetypes of the morality of the humans who cannot accept those cycles – and the road by which one human eventually can. It is by far his sunniest stage work and its inbuilt anthropomorphic joke of animals behaving like humans leads to many moments of pure comedy.

The dramatic modes with which the composer experiments – the unique blend of dance and song, the strange mixing of animal and human worlds, the cinematic succession of tiny scenes – were advanced for their time and the opera had to wait many decades to win over audiences and critics. The opera teems with playfulness, humour, wildness, love, sorrow, wisdom – simply full-blooded life.

Recommended age 7+

Cast:
Sharp-Ears the Vixen: Kristel Pärtna, Elena Brazhnyk
Forester: Tamar Nugis, Rauno Elp
Harašta, poacher: Raiko Raalik, Priit Volmer
Schoolmaster / Mosquito: Rafael Dicenta, Mart Madiste 
Gold-Stripe the fox: Helen Lokuta, Karis Trass
Forester’s Wife: Kadri Raalik, Arete Kerge
Badger / Priest: Stanislav Sheljahhovski, Mart Laur 
Dog / Woodpecker: Janne Ševtšenko, Annabel Soode
Cock / Jay: Kadri Nirgi, Katri Juss
The Innkeeper: Jakob Tomson, Rein Saar, Tiit Kaljund
Owl / Innkeeper’s Wife: Juuli Lill, Aule Urb
Chocholka, the hen: Maris Liloson, Danna Malõsko
The Little Sharp Ears: Greta Marie Niinepuu, Anette Kalda, Marharyta Brazhnyk 
Forester's kids: Liam Hussar, Joonas Mikk, Tobias Tark, Peeter Veltmann (Estonian National Opera Boys’ Choir)
Frog, Cricket, Grasshopper: Kristofer Cross, Erik Kurahashi, Uku Sander Leisalu, Rannar Mälk, Hindrik Voltri, Bert Sebastian Maripuu (Estonian National Opera Boys’ Choir)
Fox cubs: Estonian National Opera Boys’ Choir
Hens, creatures of the forest: Estonian National Opera Chorus – sopranos, altos
Dancers: Germo Toonikus, Sofia Kirs, Polina Albert, Arina Kotova, Allar Valge, Arina Šarapova, Mehis Saaber, Richard Beljohin