SMETANA: The Kiss – Cervinkova, Krasova, Prague National Theatre (2 CDs) SUPRAPHON

The comic opera The Kiss, based on a libretto by Eliška Krásnohorská, was Bedřich Smetana’s sixth opera. It was completed in the summer of 1876, premiered in the fall of the same yearat the Provisional Theater, and quickly entered the repertoire, becoming the second most often played opera in Prague (after The Bartered Bride). It is still tremendously popular – in the Czech Republic alone there have been roughly 180 productions, both professional and amateur, including 15 at Prague’s National Theater.
This 1952 recording of The Kiss is one of the treasures of the Supraphon archive. Conductor Zdeněk Chalabala, a Smetana connosieur, cast the best soloists of the National Theater in the leading roles, names which today are legendary musical personalites – Ludmila Červinková, Beno Blachut, Marta Krásová. This recording should be in the library of every Czech opera lover.

CD 1
Bedřich Smetana
The Kiss. Comic opera in 2 acts
1. Overture 05:20
2. Act 1 – scene 1: Vendulka! Vendulka! 04:00
3. Act 1 – scene 2: They’re coming 00:55
4. Act 1 – scene 3: Good evening! – Here, my brother-in law, Lukáš 09:11
5. Act 1, scene 4: My dearest one! Oh, we belong to each other? 03:23
6. Act 1 – scene 4: Oh, look! Anger, is already stirring up their blood! – Let’s drink now to their health 03:01
7. Act 1 – scene 5: Never, never in my sorrow 03:50
8. Act 1 – scene 5: The red sunset is beaming 02:43
9. Act 1 – scene 5: No, I say,leave me be! 07:45
10. Act 1- scene 6: Just as I said 03:51
11. Act 1- scene 7: Where’s he going? – As if he forgot about that lovely time 03:27
12. Act 1- scene 7: I’m, my dear girl, old by now 02:11
13. Act 1 – scene 7: And you, my baby – Sleep now, my angel – A little snow white dove was flying 04:17
14. Act 1 – scene 8: What a disgrace! – Play me the most sprightly dance 02:12
15. Act 1 – scene 9: You should be ashamed! Even a boy would be ashamed 02:29

CD 2
Bedřich Smetana
The Kiss. Comic opera in 2 acts
1. Act 2 – Overture 02:26
2. Act 2 – scene 1: Go on! 03:44
3. Act 2, scene 2 “Woe is me! – If I knew how to erase my guilt” 03:39
4. Act 2 – scene 3: What a chase he led me! 01:59
5. Act 2, scene 3 “Just ask for it, you fool” 04:37
6. Act 2 – scene 4:Ha, ha, Lukáš, you have such troubles with your love! 02:28
7. Act 2 – scene 5: What a dark forest! 03:04
8. Act 2 – scene 5: Oh, how could I believe so foolishly 02:51
9. Act 2 – scene 6: Vendulka, dearie, how do you like 04:57
10. Act 2 – scene 6: He showed you well what is hidden in a man 02:15
11. Act 2 – change of Scene. Scene 7: Ah, I cannot breath for running! 02:33
12. Act 2, scene 7 “Announce, little bird, announce” 02:00
13. Act 2 – scene 8: Here is Martinka’s abode – Yes, yes, I forgive you, my boy 04:14
14. Act 2 – scene 9: It’s him! – It’s her! – The arguments are settled 04:04