NY Phil: “Cunning Little Vixen”
Yesterday, I attended a semi-dress rehearsal at Lincoln Center for the New York Philharmonic’s staging of Janacek’s 1924 opera, “The Cunning Little Vixen.†This production is a follow-up of sorts to the group’s highly successful performances a year ago of Ligeti’s “Le Grand Macabre.†Based on what I saw and heard, audiences this week are in for a treat with “Vixen.†Part of pleasure of listening to the score was identifying all the composers who borrowed from it, especially in Hollywood: Danny Elfman, Randy Newman, Bernard Herrmann. Unlike many of Janacek’s other operas, “Vixen†is highly suitable for younger ears, who will especially delight in the kids assuming animal roles.
