When a beautiful young woman in rural Moravia becomes unexpectedly pregnant she learns that love is sometimes only skindeep Janáček took Gabriela Preissovás grim tale of infanticide and redemption and condensed it into a masterful spinechilling drama The tragic plight of the protagonists is presented with unsentimental realism that cannot help but trigger a response of deep compassion Premiered at the National Theatre in the composers hometown of Brno 115 years ago the opera took him nine years to complete and is the first in which his distinctive voice can clearly be heard
