The Secret is Bedřich Smetana's seventh and penultimate opera. It is also the second fruit of the composer's collaboration with the librettist Eliška Krásnohorská. The work was completed in June 1877 and premiered the following year at the New Czech Theater in Prague.
The National Theatre first performed the opera on May 12, 1885, the first anniversary of Smetana's death. However, it only gained great popularity after the conductor Karel Kovařovic, who was well aware of the qualities of Smetana's mature work, took over the direction of the opera. Krásnohorská provided Smetana with an exquisite libretto, whose themes are reminiscent of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet or the later play Our Haughty and Defiant Friends by Czech author Ladislav Stroupežnický. The story, set in a small Czech town, centers on a feud between the families of aldermen Malina and Kalina, who have been fighting over social supremacy for years. Kalina wants to prove that he is no longer as poor as he was two decades ago, when Malina prevented him from marrying his sister Róza. Despite the enmity between their fathers, Malina's daughter Blaženka and Kalina's son Vít fall in love.
All disputes are finally settled when brother Barnabáš discovers an old note that leads Kalina to a treasure. But is a pile of gold the most valuable thing there is to find? Smetana's The Secret was staged by Ondřej Havelka, a director with a keen sense of musical theater and humor who is known for his visually arresting storytelling. The production will be conducted by Robert Jindra, musical director of the National Theater Opera. The production is part of the celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of Bedřich Smetana's birth.
Premiere May 24, 2024
Further performances: May 26, June 1 and 16, August 29, September 5, 2024, May 15, 18 and 28, 2025
