United Kingdom Janáček, The Cunning Little Vixen: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the RNCM / Martin Pickard (conductor). Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, 26.3.2026. (MC)
For their latest production the students at the Royal Northern College of Music School of Vocal Studies and Opera provided Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen an opera with rather curious origins. In 1920 Czech author Rudolf Těsnohlídek’s novella Liška Bystrouška (Vixen Sharp-Ears) was serialised in the newspaper Lidové noviny accompanied by Stanislav Lolek’s comic strip-like illustrations. Janáček saw the Vixen serialisation, thought it suitable as a basis for an opera, and wrote his own libretto. Renaming the opera as Příhody Lišky Bystroušky (The Cunning Little Vixen) it was premiered at Brno in 1924. It wasn’t until the 1950s with Walter Felsenstein’s landmark Berlin production that Vixen began to gain popularity outside Czechoslovakia.
Janáček’s text for his fantasy or fairy-tale opera concerns how the connection between the animal world and that of humans converge. In Janáček’s forest setting the habitat provides home to a range of animals, birds, amphibians and insects. A Forester (Gamekeeper) tries to domesticate a vixen cub (Sharpears) he has caught and keeps captive on a chain. Unhappy in his marriage the Forester looks for love away from home. Sharpears manages to escape, marries the dog-fox Goldenmane and they raise a large family of cubs. After Sharpears is shot the Forester assesses his own life. Upon seeing a fox cub that might be the daughter of Sharpears he realises the life cycle of both animals and humans is similar.
One of my recent opera highlights is Sir David Pountney’s magnificent staging of Janáček’s opera The Cunning Little Vixen. First performed in 1980 by Scottish Opera at the Edinburgh Festival, Pountney’s highly praised production has been revived many times over the past forty years. In 2023, Opera North presented another revival at Salford Lowry. Pountney has set a high bar for any new Vixen production.
At the RNCM, Harry Fehr directed his production of Vixen with set and costumes by Nicky Shaw. The tried and tested English translation by Pountney was used, and his witty word choices were especially delightful. Fehr’s approach seemed to be a rather straightforward one. There are scenes where Fehr has treated some of them as them dream-like episodes. Especially notable were a dozen hens standing at tables packing egg boxes overseen by a strict looking cockerel guard and the high-spirited wedding nuptials of Sharpears and Goldenmane. In the animal roles Fehr decided to exploit the natural energy of the youthful cast whilst movement director Ewan Jones designed much crawling on all fours, crouching on haunches, and bouncing around.
Nicky Shaw’s sets ensured the forest scenes were paramount. Fitting the bill as trees prominence was given to fifteen tall dark poles standing from floor to ceiling. Like the other heavy props when not required the poles were lifted away on wires. Deciding not to overfill the floorspace was a sensible one with each scene having a single main feature. Very successful was The Fox & Badger pub for the animals, and a separate pub beer garden with three tables for the people. A space with a tall substantial bookcase and a Chesterfield settee served as a living room for the animals and memorable was the charming scene where Goldenmane and Sharpears sat relaxing with their large family of cubs.
For the people Shaw selected a range of everyday clothing, from around say the 1960s, such as tweeds and suits for the men and skirts, blouses and cardigans. Normal clothing was chosen too for the animals although the type whether fox, badger, woodpecker etc. was primarily determined by the headdress worn. This was a simple scheme devised by Shaw that worked far better than it might seem.
As Sharpears, Clementine Thompson made an indomitable heroine full of energy for whom family was everything. Wearing fox ears and a scarf for a tail Thompson wore both trousers and tops with a burnt orange theme. A natural actor, displaying confidence the soprano’s performance made an impression, bringing the character to life. Charlie Barker was up to the mark as the Forester smartly dressed in a dark blue suit with waistcoat and flat cap. Carrying a double-barrelled shotgun he looked more like a gamekeeper as he patrolled the forest. A baritone Barker produced an attractive and clear tone as the Forester developed both a fascinating relationship with Sharpears and a troubled one with his wife.
A soprano with a smooth, steady tone Esther Shea excelled in the trouser role of Goldenmane. Dressed in a light brown tweed jacket with matching belt and trousers the Fox looked every inch a country gentleman, plus of course the addition of fox ears and tail. During their courtship the honourable Goldenmane imparted compliments to Sharpears, making the vixen feel secure. Giving solid performances in the remaining main parts were Jay Broadhurst (Schoolmaster), Christian Loizou (Parson) and Khaled Issa (Harašta, the poacher) with Benjamin Finnie (Badger). This was all valuable experience for these promising singers who can look forward to more significant roles in the future.
As is customary with RNCM opera productions the main parts are double cast; I attended a Vixen performance featuring the Red Cast. For this staging, Jonathan Lyness prepared the reduced orchestration that gave emphasis to the winds. The chamber opera format proved highly effective both in execution and sound and praise is due to the student orchestral players under conductor Martin Pickard. With all his usual expertise Kevin Thraves had primed the splendid student chorus both on and off the stage to significant effect. It was clear that the dancers had responded positively to Ewan Jones’s choreography.
With Janáček’s fantasy opera the collaboration between Fehr’s creative team and the RNCM students provided entertainment in spades, generating considerable emotional impact.
Michael Cookson
Featured Image: RNCM’s The Cunning Little Vixen: Clementine Thompson (Sharpears), Esther Shea (Goldenmane) and Fox family © Robin Clewley
Production:
Director – Harry Fehr
Set and Costume designer – Nicky Shaw
Lighting designer – Mark Jonathan
Movement – Ewan Jones
Chorus director – Kevin Thraves
Offstage conductor – Juan José Muñoz Borja
Red Cast:
Forester – Charlie Barker
Vixen / Sharpears – Clementine Thompson
Fox / Goldenmane – Esther Shea
Schoolmaster – Jay Broadhurst
Parson – Christian Loizou
Forester’s Wife – Jem Gray
Harašta – Khaled Issa
Badger – Benjamin Finnie
Mr Pásek – Grant Haddow
Mrs Pásek – Morgan Rosati
Frantík – Ruth Harley
Pepík – Sophia Parker
Mosquito – Gabriel Jones
Owl – Ellena Hicks
Rooster – Sam Rose
Chocholka – Bonnie Staude
Lapák – Sarah Rappoport
Woodpecker – Merel-Magali Cox