The Makropulos Affair

The new edition of Janácek’s penultimate opera “The Makropulos Affair” is a reconstruction of the work’s original version, which shows only a few deviations from the final version. The opera was premiered on 18 December 1926 at the National Theatre Brno with the composer in attendance. The second authorized copy of the score, prepared by Jaroslav Kulhánek, was used for the performance material. This copy also served as the primary source for the new critical edition of the full score.

This edition features clearly marked performance instructions by one of the editors, the experienced Janácek conductor Tomáš Hanus. As they have been graphically offset, they can easily be distinguished from the original version.These practical suggestions facilitate the production of the opera and allow the conductor to study the work more easily. In this way, the performance material offers a welcome alternative to previous editions of the opera.

Orchestral scoring:

S-solo,2Mez-solo,A-solo,4T-solo,Bar-solo,Bassbar-solo,B-solo / 4(2Picc),2,Eh,3,BKlar,3(Kfag) – 4,3,3,1 – Pk,Schlg – Hfe – Str / Hinter der Bühne: 2Hn,2Trp,Pk,MCh

Detailed instrumentation:

Soprano solo, Mezzo-soprano solo (2), Alto solo, Tenor solo (4), Baritone solo, Bass-baritone solo, Bass solo, Orchestra, Hinter der Bühne: Horn (2), Trumpet (2), Timpani, Male choir