The Cunning Little Vixen

Presented here in a 2008 Paris Opera production staged at the Opéra Bastille, Leos Janácek's 1924 beast-fable opera is a tunefully bittersweet piece that is both charming and profound. Drawing on the passage of seasons to reflect the natural cycle of life and death, The Cunning Little Vixen juxtaposes the daily lives of Moravian villagers—a forester and his wife, his drinking buddies, and a poacher—with various animals, including the vixen the forester catches and tries to keep as a pet, as well as barnyard fowl, a dog, and even insects. In a “behind-the-scenes” intermission, former Paris Opera general manager Gerard Mortier deplores France's tardiness in embracing Janácek's music, expressing his hope that this production will help rectify the oversight. Unfortunately, that isn't the case here. Granted, the set is colorful, the costuming imaginative (with children cleverly outfitted as snails, frogs, and even mosquitoes), and much of the singing is excellent, with Jukka Rasilainen outstanding as the forester and Elena Tsallagova piquant as the vixen, although her voice is sometimes covered by the orchestra. But Dennis Russell Davies' conducting is plodding instead of sparkling, while the camerawork is overly busy, opting for close-ups when a broader stage perspective would have been preferable. Presented in DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1, and PCM stereo, this is an optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)