Opera Krútňava in Bratislava

The opening of the 107th season of the Slovak National Theatre Opera will feature one of the greatest masterpieces of Slovak opera. The Opera of the National Theatre Košice will present Krútňava by Eugen Suchoň, a work widely regarded as the most important—and by many, the most beautiful—Slovak opera ever written.

Directed by Vera Nemirova, Krútňava is a powerful psychological drama exploring love, jealousy, guilt, conscience, forgiveness, and redemption. Told across six scenes, the story follows two men in love with the same woman, leading to a murder driven by jealousy. A wedding, the birth of a child, the protagonist’s growing sense of guilt, and a moving final catharsis culminate in reconciliation and forgiveness.

The opera is based on the novella Za vyšným mlynom (Beyond the Upper Mill) by Milo Urban. Since its world premiere in 1949, it has become one of the cornerstones of Slovak musical culture. Its success helped establish Slovak opera on the international stage, and it remains one of the country’s most frequently performed operatic works. Abroad, it has also been staged under the title Katrena, named after its female protagonist. The new production was created by the National Theatre Košice to mark the 75th anniversary of the opera’s premiere.

The principal roles will be performed by Gustáv Beláček and Jozef Benci, Titusz Tóbisz and Michal Lehotský, and Eva Katráková-Bodorová. The production has been musically prepared and is conducted by Peter Valentovič, Chief Conductor of the Opera of the National Theatre Košice.

Don’t miss this exceptional opportunity to experience the acclaimed Opera of the National Theatre Košice performing on the stage of the Slovak National Theatre in Bratislava.

Please note: The performance contains lighting and sound effects, gunshots, smoke, on-stage smoking, and strong language.

Cast:

Štelina – Jozef Benci (9 September), Gustáv Beláček (10 September)
Ondrej – Michal Lehotský (9 September), Titusz Tóbisz (10 September)
Katrena – Eva Katráková-Bodorová
Zimoň – Mihály Podkopájev
Zimoňka – Viera Kállayová
Zalčíčka – Tatiana Paľovčíková-Paládiová
Školnica – Jitka Sapara Fischerová
Marka – Michaela Várady
Zuzka – Terézia Kružliaková
Pastierik – Aneta Hollá
Krúpa – Anton Baculík
Hríň – Marián Lukáč
Oleň – Marek Gurbaľ
Starejší – Oliver Olejár
Starejšia – Zuzana Orlovská
First Groomsman – Filip Kostrub
Woman – Ľubica Strapáčová
Venue: Slovak National Theatre, Pribinova Street, Bratislava

Performance dates:

Wednesday, 9 September 2026: 7:00 p.m.– 9:20 p.m.
Thursday, 10 September 2026: 11:00 a.m. – 1:20 p.m.

Admission: 19 – 50 €

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