“Jenůfa” – Act 1

Act One

Late afternoon. A lonely mill in the foothills. On the right, in front of the house, a porch supported by wooden posts. A small slope, bushes, several felled trees; in the background, a millstream.

Scene One

Jenůfa, holding a pot of rosemary, stands on a raised spot by the millstream and looks into the distance, shading her eyes with her hand. Grandmother Buryja sits in the porch, taking potatoes from a heaped basket, cutting out the eyes and tossing them into another basket. On the left, dark-haired Laca sits on a felled tree, whittling a whipstock with a knife.

Jenůfa (to herself) Soon it will be evening and Števa has not come back, and Števa has not come back! Dread has haunted me all through the night, and when morning came, it began again! (desperately) O Virgin Mary, if you have heard my prayer, if my lover has been taken away as a soldier and our wedding prevented, if my lover has been taken away as a soldier and our wedding prevented, shame and dishonour will drive me to damnation, to damnation! O Virgin Mary, please have mercy on me! O Virgin Mary! Grandmother Buryja Jenůfa, you’re always leaving your work and running off! Must I sit here and do all this work myself? You know quite well my poor old eyes see very badly. Laca (sarcastically) Yes, Grandmama, there are many things your eyes do not see, there are many things your eyes do not see. You have always treated me just like a common labourer whom you give food you give food for his work at the mill, for his work at the mill! I’m not yours, that I know well, not your own grandson, not your own grandson! You have always made me feel it, made me feel it, when I, a poor orphaned boy, crept up to you, while you cuddled Števa on your knee, while you cuddled Števa on your knee and stroked his hair, saying it was golden just like the sun! golden just like the sun! You ignored me, even though I was also an orphan. If you would give me... the twelve hundred that are my share, I could go wherever my eyes might lead me!

Jenůfa (kneeling, she turns away from the stream) Laca, you always speak to Grandmother so rudely! always so rudely to Grandmother, and then you expect her to love you! and then you expect her to love you! and then you expect her to love you! Grandmother Buryja Oh yes, yes. To him I am only a dependent here, he does not consider me mistress of the house, let alone one of the family! Laca (to Grandmother Buryja) And now you expect Jenůfa to work, when she is waiting for Števa to return from the conscription examination? Jenůfa (to herself) He sees right into a person’s heart with those penetrating eyes, right into the heart, right into the heart. I won’t even answer him – that brute. (to Grandmother Buryja) Grandmother, don’t be angry! Grandmother, don’t be angry! I’ll make up for everything, I’ll make up for everything. I remembered that my rosemary was withering, so I went to soak it in water. (with a sigh) And if it should wither – you see, Grandmother, they say that then all happiness in the world will wither, that then all happiness in the world will wither, all happiness in the world!

Jano (calling from the mill) Jenůfka, hey, Jenůfka, hey! I can read now, I can read now, now I’ve got it! Won’t you write another page for me? Won’t you write another page for me? (runs in) (pleading) Jenůfa Patience, patience, Jano! Wait until I go to town, I’ll bring you a book to read, and then you can read from that! I’ll teach you how to write as well, so that you may become a better person. And now off to work with you, or we’ll have Grandmother scolding us again! Jano Hey, hey, hey, hey! I can read, hey, I can read, hey! Jenůfka has taught me! Grandmother Buryja (more mildly) That is what you enjoy! Yes, my girl, that is what you enjoy! Barena you’ve taught to read as well! You’ve a man’s common sense like your foster-mother; you should have been a teacher. Jenůfa (sighing) Ah, but my common sense, Granny dear, has long since fallen somewhere into the mill stream. Ah, but my common sense, Granny dear, has fallen somewhere into the mill stream.

Scene Two

The Foreman passes by; toward the end, the Kostelnička appears.

The Foreman (in town clothes whitened with flour, he comes along and stops by Laca) What are you doing, Laca? That should make a fine whipstock! Laca My knife is so blunt it will take me hours to get it finished! Sharpen it for me! The Foreman (takes a whetstone from his pocket and sharpens the knife) I’ll sharpen it! (Meanwhile, Laca knocks Jenůfa’s kerchief from her head with the end of the whipstock.) Jenůfa (without turning round) Is that you, Laca? Have you always been such a wild one?... Laca If it had been Števa who’d done that, you wouldn’t have minded? Jenůfa He would never do it... He would never do it. Laca See, you wouldn’t have minded? Because you are always getting so close to him! Jenůfa (She goes into the house through the porch; after a while she comes out again, sits down by the basket and diligently cuts out the potato eyes.) What business is it of yours? Mind your own business! What business is it of yours? Mind your own business!

Laca (to the Foreman, watching Jenůfa as she goes off) She’ll make a charming sister-in-law, she’ll have all sorts of good things in store for me! The Foreman Yes, she’s a nice-looking girl, enough to turn your head. She carries herself like a poppy, like a poppy head, and with those grey eyes of hers she could draw the soul right out of your body. Yes, she’s a nice-looking girl! Enough to turn your head! But why am I telling you all this? You’ve felt the power of those eyes yourself! Jenůfa (jumping for joy and kissing Grandmother Buryja) He’s not taken, thank God, he’s not taken, dearest Grandma! Laca (jumping up) And they call that justice! Laca (scornfully) I… I… You could see for yourself just how much I love her! She was grieving here over her rosemary. She doesn’t know that I buried worms in the soil around it, so that it will wither, just like her wedding to Števa, the one they’re preparing for.

Laca He’s not taken! And they dare to call this justice! A fellow strong as an ox! He’s not taken! The Foreman Look here, Laca, that’s what I find so strange, what is it that makes you, makes you so aggressive? Come now, don’t deny it, you’re not really so hard-hearted. And I’ve often noticed that when Jenůfa’s here, you are different. Kostelnička (enters) Števa’s not been taken? Števa’s not been taken? Laca Stupid talk! Go about your business! But, Foreman, he still hasn’t, he still hasn’t. If they took him today at the conscription examination, there’ll be no wedding... there’ll be no wedding. The Foreman He’s not taken! He’s not taken! I met the messenger; only nine altogether were recruited... and Števa wasn’t! Grandmother Buryja and the Foreman He’s not taken? He’s always had luck on his side!

Jenůfa (kissing Grandmother Buryja) He’s not taken! My dear Grandmother! Jenůfa (hurries to kiss her foster mother’s hand and then runs back to her work) Welcome! Welcome, Mother! (Laca silently takes off his hat and continues working on the whipstock.) The Foreman Here, your knife; it doesn’t seem to take an edge very well. (Kostelnička enters the house. The Foreman greets her and goes into the house.)

Scene Three

Jenůfa, Grandmother Buryja and Chorus.

Grandmother Buryja (about to go in after Kostelnička) What about you, Jenůfa, won’t you go in to your mother? Jenůfa For God’s sake, Grandma... don’t send me in to her! For God’s sake, Grandma, for God’s sake, Grandma, don’t send me in to her! don’t send me... Grandmother Buryja You’re acting strangely, child!

Scene Four

Jenůfa, Laca, Števa, the Foreman, later Kostelnička and Chorus. The recruits’ chorus and the band are heard offstage.

Recruits (offstage) They’re all getting married, they’re afraid of soldiering, but I shall not be wed, I’m not afraid of soldiering! If a man is rich, he can buy himself out of the army, but poor fellow that I am, I must be a soldier. If a man is rich, he can buy himself out of the army, but poor fellow that I am, I must be a soldier. Laca and Chorus And a rich man can buy himself out of the army. Števa (red-haired, with a lock of hair falling over his forehead, tipsy and unsteady on his feet, he raises his flower-bedecked hat high above his head) and no more courting, and no more courting, and no more courting, and I must be a soldier... and no more courting, and no more courting! (Kostelnička appears in the doorway of the house.) Jenůfa Števuško!

Scene Five

Jenůfa, Kostelnička, Grandmother Buryja, Laca, Števa, the Foreman and Chorus.

Recruits They’re all getting married, they’re afraid of soldiering! They’re all getting married, they’re afraid of soldiering, but I shall not be wed, I’m not afraid of soldiering. The Foreman (comes out) Števa has brought an escort with him! You can tell by looking at him that he’s not been taken! (The millers and millworkers run out. The recruits enter from the left. Village boys follow, one with a toy trumpet. From the left Števa appears with the recruits and four musicians, violinists. Jenůfa runs to meet him.) Recruits and Chorus Hey, hurrah! Jenůfa (reproachfully) Števa! Števa, my Števuško! My darling, Števa, my Števuško! Are you drunk again? Števa I, I, I’m drunk? You say that to me, Jenůfka? You say that to me? Do you know that my name is Štefan Buryja? That I own a half-farm mill? That’s why all the girls smile at me! This posy here I got (showing her the posy) from one of them! (turning to the musicians) Why aren’t you playing, you hungry hares! You hungry hares! (with both hands he throws money from his jacket, which the musicians pick up) Here you are! Play! Play that song of Jenůfa’s: Far and wide, all the way to Nové Zámky...

Chorus, then Števa with the Chorus 1. Far and wide, all the way to Nové Zámky; there they are building a tower of handsome young fellows. 2. My sweetheart they placed right at the top, and made of him a golden poppy head. 3. The golden poppy head fell down from the tower, and my sweetheart caught it in her lap. (They all dance.) My sweetheart caught the golden poppy head in her lap. Števa (puts his arm around Jenůfa’s waist) Come here, Jenůfka! Then we’ll go to our wedding with the music! (In the midst of the wild dancing, Kostelnička stops the musicians with a gesture of her hand.)

Kostelnička And so we would go through our whole lives like this, and you, Jenůfa, could, could pick up the money he throws away, pick up the money! You’re certainly a family of the same kind! Jenůfa Oh, Mother, don’t be angry, Mother, don’t be angry, don’t be angry! Oh, Mother, don’t be angry, Mother, don’t be angry! Kostelnička Tell him that I will not allow you to marry yet, I will not allow you to marry yet, not until after a year’s trial, if Števa does not get drunk! Recruits But she is a strict woman, but she is a strict woman! But she is a strict woman, but she is a strict woman! Kostelnička If you disobey me, Jenůfa, if you give his words precedence over mine, God will punish you severely, if you do not obey me, God will punish you severely! (Števa, shaken, leans his head against the pillar.) Grandmother Buryja Oh, my daughter, she is a strict woman, she is a strict woman! Why, that young fellow is not so bad! Kostelnička Tomorrow morning you will leave the house, so that people cannot say you are grasping after that good fortune. Laca (mockingly, to himself) Go on, flatter the young fellow, flatter him! (aloud) Kostelnička, you’ve dropped your scarf – and I would also, also kiss your hand. Kostelnička (leaving) Enjoy yourselves here!

Grandmother Buryja And you musicians, go home, go home! Don’t lead the lads astray! go home! The Foreman and Chorus Go home! Don’t lead the lads astray! (the musicians leave) Grandmother Buryja Go and sleep, Števuško, go! You’re young, your companions lead you astray, you forgot yourself! Recruits (leaving) Your companions lead you astray, your companions lead you astray. Grandmother Buryja And you, Jenůfa, don’t cry! Every couple must endure its own troubles, endure its troubles... The Foreman Every couple must endure its own troubles, endure its own troubles... Laca, Jenůfa and Chorus Every couple must endure its own troubles. (The millworkers and servants disperse.)

Scene Six

Jenůfa and Števa, later Grandmother Buryja.

Jenůfa (quietly, to Števa) Števa, I know you did it because you were so happy today. But another time, Števuško, don’t make my mother cross; you know how wretched I am! My heart trembles with anxiety within me, lest my mother and all the neighbours find out about my guilt. I’m afraid that one day punishment will fall on me; all night long I lie awake. Think what you’re doing, my beloved, think what you’re doing, my beloved, now that God has helped us with the conscription, so that we can be married, so that we can be married! Even without that, my mother will reproach me enough! You know! You know how much she expects of me, you should have heard her just now, you should have heard her! I don’t know what I would do if you didn’t marry me in time, I don’t know what I would do then! Števa Don’t make such a face! You can see, Aunt Kostelnička gets angry with me because of you, and all because of my love for you, because of my love for you. You should have seen, you should have seen, how all the girls are after me!

Jenůfa (irritated) But now you must not look at them! I alone have a claim on you, I’d have to kill myself! You mustn’t be like this, oh God, so weak, so foolish, so foolish! (She seizes him by the shoulders.) (She shakes him.) Števa (trying to calm Jenůfa) Surely I’m not going to leave you! If only for your rosy apple cheeks, Jenůfa, you truly are the fairest of them all, you are the most beautiful of all! you are the most, the most beautiful of all, the most beautiful! Jenůfa I’d have to kill myself! I’d have to kill myself! Števa (from a distance) And I must be a soldier... O Jenůfa! Grandmother Buryja (comes out of the house) Oh, enough of this talk! Enough of this talk, wait until tomorrow, until you have a clear head! Go, lad, go and lie down! Števa You are the most beautiful of all! (He leaves.) The most beautiful! (Grandmother Buryja leaves. Jenůfa returns to the basket and, with her head bowed, begins working again.)

Scene Seven

Laca, Jenůfa, (later) Barena, the Foreman, Grandmother Buryja. Laca gets up. He has thrown away the whipstock but still holds the knife in his hand.

Laca How suddenly all Števa’s boasting drooped its ears before Kostelnička! Jenůfa Even so, he remains a hundred, a hundred times better than you! Laca He does! He does! (trembling, feverish; he bends down to pick up the discarded posy) Jenůfa, here he dropped that posy he got from one of those girls who, he says, are always smiling at him! Look! I’ll tuck it into your bodice... Jenůfa (drawing herself up proudly) Give it to me! A posy like this, given to honour my sweetheart, I can wear with pride, I can wear with pride! Laca (aside) You’ll wear it with pride! (to Jenůfa) And he sees nothing in you but those apple-like cheeks of yours! And even so, he’ll still be a hundred times better than me! (looks at the knife) This knife could spoil them for you. (Laca approaches Jenůfa, holding the posy and the knife in his right hand, feverishly agitated.) But I won’t give you the posy for nothing! (He tries to embrace her.)

Jenůfa (defending herself) Laca, I’ll hit you! Laca (As she struggles against him and he bends toward her, he draws the knife across her cheek as he speaks.) What have you against me? Jenůfa (crying out) Jesus Maria! You’ve cut my cheek! (She presses her apron to her cheek. Barena wrings her hands.)

Laca (sinking to one knee beside her and putting his arms around her) What have I done, Jenůfa! What have I done, Jenůfka! I’ve loved you since we were children, loved you, since we were children... since we were children I’ve loved you... since we were children I’ve loved you... since we were children I’ve loved you. (Jenůfa runs into the house.) The Foreman and Grandmother Buryja (running in) What is it? What’s happened? Barena (hurriedly) There’s been an accident, there’s been an accident! They were fooling around over a kiss, he still had the knife in his hand, and so, without meaning to, he somehow scratched her cheek. Thank God he didn’t catch her in the eye! Thank God! (The Foreman runs into the house after Jenůfa.)

Grandmother Buryja Nothing but sorrow you cause, you boys! The Foreman (returning) Grandmother, come to Jenůfa, she may faint from it! Send for Kostelnička, let her come and tend her, quickly, tend her! (Grandmother Buryja hastens into the house. The devastated Laca pulls himself together and runs off.) The Foreman (calling after him) Laca, don’t run away, you did that to her on purpose!

libretto by Dmitrii Murashev