The threat of power can often spark either a fight or flight response. In The Cunning Little Vixen, our protagonist chooses the former, finding herself liberated and returning to the forest that is a home to creatures not too different from you and I.
Leoš Janáček’s modern operatic masterpiece premiered 100 years ago in the Czech Republic, and UBC Opera is celebrating its anniversary with a majestic four-night production of the tale.
Deep in the Czechian woods, the fatigued Forester sweeps the underfoot and trees hungry for game. Thrilled by the sight of a fox cub, who would later grow into a cunning little vixen, the Forester scoops her up and brings her home to amuse his children.
As she is being tortured by the Forester’s son, the cunning little vixen dreams of freedom back in the forest where humans rarely exercise their upper hand.
Eventually, she escapes the Forester’s stronghold, leaving mass casualties and destruction in her pursuit.
Back in the forest, fresh from the stresses of persecution, it is the vixen’s turn to be the oppressor as she chases out a badger living comfortably in his den and claims her territory — the forest’s hierarchy is boundless.
As the Schoolmaster stumbles drunkenly into the moon’s light of the woods, he laments over his beloved Terynka — an enigma, and the object of affection for some of the townsmen who hope to woo her over with the prospect of a fox’s muff — and mistakes the vixen for her silhouette.
In pale moonlight, the vixen encounters love for the first time when Goldenback the fox captivates her with unwavering swagger and a hare. Their union is declared and marriage is in order, closing Act II.
In the final act, the month of May is for love, and Terynka seems to be the answer to all the townsmen’s lack thereof. Harašta, the poacher, is also enamored by her. When the Forester points gags at Harašta’s lack of any prospects, he boldly replies that Terynka will be his wife and the men exit the scene — but not before the Forester mounts a trap in one last attempt to capture his fox.
As the vixen’s and Goldenback’s cubs frolic in the sun, the vixen spots the Forester’s scheme and lectures her children on the dangers of humans.
We are back to where we began in our tale. The Forester returns to the woods reminiscing of youth and love. He sings of the land’s beauty, though unbeknownst to him he greedily took from its inhabitants.
And just as before, the forest’s creatures surround him with brilliant colours and sounds. Only this time, the Forester’s outstretched and weaponless arms are met with the reminder that life has come full circle since his last visit, but not without a cost.
In The Cunning Little Vixen, everything is cyclical and reciprocal — life, love, power and greed.
The opera runs on many parallels. This year’s production is a stunning nod to the magical elements of a fairytale, delivering a message that is fantastically Animal Farm-esque. It is delightful yet complex, comedic yet tragic; echoes of resonating stories sung in booming harmony.
Emma Jang and Carly King dazzled as the vixen and the fox for opening night, and Mariana Iguavita and Alessandra Ianni are sure to follow suit in the same roles. Neil Craighead notably fills the character of the Forester under the permission of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, sharing the role with Andrew Greenwood.
Both the musical and emotional dynamic between the vixen and the fox are beautifully juxtaposed in the singers’ staunch vocals, as the Vancouver Opera Orchestra provides a light and airy atmosphere under the direction of Norbert Baxa.
Similar to a child telling a story in fantastical, fairytale form, The Cunning Little Vixen will leave you spellbound, while also pondering and analyzing our relationships with other humans and our environment. Innocently, we are finding a piece of our society in the forest.
The Cunning Little Vixen is running at the Old Auditorium until November 5.
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