The Bartered Bride

The hilarious opera The Bartered Bride by composer Bedřich Smetana is one of the finest examples of Czech folklore. This new, festive production by the Teatro Real features musical direction by Gustavo Gimeno and staging by Laurent Pelly, which moves between the countryside and the world of the circus.

Drawing on the traditions and folklore of Bohemia, this comic drama tells the story of Marenka and Jenik, a young couple whose love is threatened when an ambitious matchmaker tries to force Marenka into a marriage of convenience. The lovers’ fate will depend entirely on Jenik’s ingenious plan, which will initially provoke outrage in the village, only to ultimately reveal a series of family entanglements.